Sparks and Flames
by Storm VII
Summary: Terumi's plan during ChronoPhantasma had undesired side effects. Now in a setting different from that of the game, Ragna finds himself barely alive after managing to escape the revived Nu-13. Battered and beaten, he now finds only one person to rely on... But why'd it have to be butt-floss of all people?
1. Altered Destiny

_Chapter I: Altered Destiny_

 _The 5_ _th_ _Hierarchical City Ibukido: The Grave Maker of Bases_

"Gah!" Ragna grunted as Nu's blades once again managed to cut into his chest. He retorted with his sword Blood-Scythe, catching her in the waist and knocking her to the wall. Normally such an attack would fatally wound the Murakumo unit, but Ragna had resolved to hold himself back. After he'd been saved by Lambda back in Kagutsuchi, he couldn't find it in himself to attempt to kill Nu. The problem was how difficult it was without the idea engine.

"Come on, Ragna! I thought we were supposed to have fun! Why are you holding back, could it be that you hate Nu?"

"Shut up damn it!" Ragna growled. "Nu you saved my life in Kagutsuchi, so thanks for that, but you don't have to do this! I've beaten Terumi before and I'll do it again, you don't have to listen to him anymore!"

"Listen to Terumi?" Nu asked before giggling. "Nu isn't listening to Terumi, silly Ragna! Nu's doing this because she wants to." With a sadistic smile she then flew towards Ragna at full throttle. "Let's play!" she shouted in a sing-song manner.

Ragna grimaced as he brought his sword up to deflect Nu's attack before countering with his **Dead Spike** technique. Nu nimbly dodged the move and retorted by firing summoned swords from afar. Ragna barely manage to bring his barrier up in time to block those attacks. Then Nu once again barreled towards Ragna with her bladed petals in front of her. Ragna stopped the attack with Blood-Scythe… before he saw something that caused him to freeze.

Nu took full advantage of this opportunity and had her petals impale Ragna from the sides. Ragna grunt in pain as he fell to the ground, his head pounding from the pain. Nu had the petals retract from Ragna, causing his blood to start spurting over the floor. It was only through sheer force of will and his healing factor that Ragna managed to stay conscious.

"Aw, I was hoping we could play some more, it's no fun when you're this submissive," Nu said with an obvious innuendo. She used her armor to create a giant blade above Ragna with its point barely a meter away from the Grim Reaper. "Well, at least I had fun. Bye Ragna!" she finished playfully before the blade lurched forward to impale her target.

The executioner's blade never reached her target as Ragna disappeared from sight before the blade impaled him. Surprised, Nu turned and saw Phantom standing behind her. "Aw, why'd you have to ruin Nu's fun!?" As expected, Phantom didn't respond. "Fine, I guess Nu will just have to play with Ragna again another time."

-BlazBlue-

Ragna was teleported thirty feet off the ground where he fell into the dirty waters of Varubtuke Source. The water wasn't deep, so he didn't have to worry about drowning, but it had done little to soften the impact of the fall. It took all of his strength to make it dry land before he collapsed about a mile away from the village.

 _Nu said that she was trying to kill me because she wanted to…_ Ragna thought grimly through the pain. _So why the hell was she crying when I saw her up close?!_ He couldn't take it anymore; with that last dark thought, he lost consciousness.

-BlazBlue-

Bullet was fuming. She'd been all over Ikaruga and had seen no sign of Professor Kokonoe. The only place she hadn't been able to check was the Libraries headquarters and since Kokonoe was affiliated with Sector Seven, walking in there would have been a death trap. Now, she had decided to check the outskirts of the city. There was supposed to be a village somewhere around here, maybe they will were hiding Kokonoe for some reason?

With no other options left she had decided to check there, at the very least she'd get a layout of the area. She wasn't far from the village when an unusual shade of red caught her eye. There, lying face down in dirt, bleeding profusely, was Ragna the Bloodedge.

Despite her usual cold attitude, she wasn't cruel enough to leave someone to bleed out, her mercenary family had taught her that the best mercenaries have a chain of morals that they follow. _Still, he did call me butt-floss in public… Maybe I'll just whack him once or twice when he recovers._

"Hey, Reaper, you still alive?"

Ragna didn't respond immediately as he slowly started to emerge from his unconscious state. (Thank god for fast healing) "Bullet…? What the hell are you doing here?"

"So you are still alive. Anyways, I was in the area when I just happened to pass by and see you bleeding out. I might still be pissed about that little 'hot pants' scruff, but I'm not petty enough to let you die on the side of a road just for insulting me."

"Ugh… Thanks I guess," Ragna said. He slowly started to move and barely brought himself to his knees. Using a minor healing ars he started to close the wounds.

"Can you stand?" Bullet asked. Ragna nodded and through a pained effort, slowly raised himself to full height.

"Damn, I wish Kokonoe had told me that Terumi was here."

"You work for the Professor?" Bullet asked surprised. Had she found her key to finding Kokonoe?

"The phrase 'working _with_ her' is pushing it, but yeah I know her, why are you asking?"

"I've been trying to find her for a while now, but the only information that I have is that she's in Ikaruga. Do you have any idea where she is?"

"Only that you're right about her being in Ikaruga. I'm actually looking for someone's who's working with right now."

"Huh, well then," Bullet began. "I think I have the answer to my problems. Ragna, you're going to help me locate the Professor, if not I'll have to settle on collecting that bounty of yours."

"Fine, by me. I guess I owe you for making sure nobody tried to 86 me while I was out."

"Good choice, and one more thing…" Bullet whacked Ragna upside the head.

"OW! Damn, what the hell was that for?!" Ragna yelled at his attacker.

"THAT was for calling me butt-floss in public. Consider yourself lucky you're wounded or I wouldn't have held back."

Ragna groaned. "Look, I'm sorry. Alright? That was rude of me and I made a huge scene."

"So long as you understand," Bullet replied. "Next time I doubt I'll be as lenient."

Ragna groaned; why couldn't he ever meet any **normal** women?

 **So the first chapter of this story is finally up. I know that this has a pretty slow start to it, but I didn't want to throw them straight into combat. The next chapter will probably involve the two of them getting dinner in a restaurant and attempting to avoid making a huge scene. Anyways, rate and review. Ciao.**

 **I don't own BlazBlue.**


	2. Forged

_Chapter II: A Bond Forged over Cooking and Memories_

"Damn… well I guess that's another lead down." Bullet complained in annoyance.

Ragna and Bullet had been travel through Ikaruga looking for any signs that could tell them where to find Professor Kokonoe. So far, they'd been unfruitful in their search. Bullet had called a few of her old contacts as information brokers, but any leads they'd had were disproven after only a few minutes of investigation.

"You think we should call it a day?" Ragna asked the mercenary, his eyes focused on the newspaper he was reading while sitting on the park bench. He'd come across the paper recently and was looking for any article that could tell him about any signs of fighting in Ikaruga, but most of the information was related to the attack in Kagutsuchi. "We've been going at this for hours and it's almost ten at night. I don't know about you, but I'm starving and exhausted. Let's give this a rest."

"Please, I'm not even hun-," the mercenary started before a low growl was emitted from her stomach. Ragna grinned as Bullet blushed slightly.

"Really, well your stomach's telling me another story. Pretty sure the title's _Starving as Hell_ ," he joked with a chuckle. **WHACK**! "OW! What the hell Bullet!?"

"Don't make fun of me," she said with a snarl. "Okay, you want the truth? The truth is I don't have any money on me right now, I'm out of rations, and I've had to sleep in the woods these past few nights!" She glared at Ragna, who rubbed his sore head where Bullet had hit him, twice that day.

 _Damn, now I feel bad. Maybe I can make it up to her._ "Look Bullet, I may not have a lot on me, but I have enough cash to get us by. Look, even though we vented at each other the last time we visited a restaurant, I'll buy."

Bullet stared at the Reaper somewhat shocked. _Why is he acting so out of character from what I've been led to believe. Is he actually a caring person or…_ "So you remember now?"

Ragna tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Sorry, remember what?"

 _Guess not._ "It's nothing," Bullet assured him. Ragna narrowed his eyes for a moment, clearly not believing her, before shrugging it off. "Anyways, I'll take you up on that offer, so thanks. You still think we can find an open restaurant at this time of night?"

"I already have a solution to that. Take a look at this."

Bullet looked over Ragna shoulder and read the entry over her shoulder aloud. "'Presenting the new opening of **Ikaruga's Self-Cook Restaurant**. Provides over a hundred ingredients and appliances required for baking, grilling, sautéing, and more. Prices are almost HALF that of a regular restaurant. _'Do it yourself; you know how you love your food, we'll get you started'._ Open till midnight all nights'... and it's close by." Bullet chuckled. "While that does sound nice, there's one important thing you're forgetting."

Ragna stood and rolled the paper under his arm. "Yeah, what?"

Bullet sighed. "The fact that NEITHER of us can cook."

Ragna chuckled. "Speak for yourself; I've been cooking since I was seven."

Bullet looked at the outlaw in surprise. "Really? Huh, well sorry I thought…" She paused trying to figure out the best way to phrase her words.

"What, I only stole what I wanted to eat? Heh, don't worry about it; you're not the first one to think that. Come on let's go, maybe I can teach a thing or two about cooking." (And you're not entirely wrong considering that dine and dash I was forced into with Tao)

-BlazBlue-

When they arrived at the place it was empty, save for the receptionist at the front desk. Due to Ragna's low level concealment ars (short recap: people can see Ragna, they just don't pay much attention to him), the two got into the place without much trouble and started to set up their area. After fiddling with the grill, oven, and stove for a moment, Ragna turned to his partner.

"What are you in the mood for?"

Bullet thought for a moment. "I'm thinking something simple, yet filling; preferably a dish that has different variations to it so you can make it several different ways."

Ragna smiled, he had the perfect dish in mind, one of his favorites. "Great, I'll be back in a moment." He left towards the ingredients section and brought back several potatoes, some carrots, several different spices, and a few pounds of beef, all of which he purchased. "Tonight we'll make the typical campfire stew. This recipe's good because you can use whatever you have on hand and it allows you to make the meal almost anywhere with a campfire."

"Sounds good," Bullet responded smiling, the last time she had stew was with her old mercenary family. Ragna began to show her the basics about how to prepare the potatoes, when to start cooking the meat, and how to add certain spices to add flavor. After they had gotten the ingredients in the pot the two only had to wait.

"So…" Ragna began. "Earlier you asked if I 'remembered.' Care to explain what you meant by that?"

"Back when you were traveling with Jubei, do you remember stopping at a Mercenary camp at one point?"

Ragna froze in surprise. _She knows that I was trained by one of the six heroes. And the mercenary camp I visited, wait a second…_

*Flashback*

"Remind me why we're going to a godforsaken mercenary camp in the middle of freaking nowhere," a young Ragna complained to his teacher as they walked through the woods. Jubei sighed to himself; the kid just didn't understand.

"Fer the last time Ragna, they ain't the bloodthirsty mercenaries you make 'em out to be! Hell, they're decent people, just give it a chance."

"Fine," Ragna sighed. "I just don't see what I could possibly learn from them."

"Keep yer eyes an' ears open. You'd be surprised."

Ragna and Jubei walked into the encampment. It was pretty basic, smaller tents set up in direct lines, with two much larger tents; one the mess hall, the other a command tent.

A middle aged man with faded red hair walked out of the command tent. He was dressed in a white vest, a black coat, and blue jeans. The man carried a large scar across his forehead. He noticed Ragna and Jubei and smiled as he waved over at them.

"Jubei, it's been too long." The man approached the three and Ragna could already tell this man, despite his laid back attitude, was deadly. After learning about posture and analysis from Jubei this guy was acting casual, but the truth was his muscles were set to where he could snap into action at an instants notice.

"Yeah, I've been busy what with a new student an' all," Jubei said laughing. "Ragna, this is Grey Markesan, an' old friend of mine and leader of these mercs. Grey, this is Ragna my apprentice."

"Nice to meet you," Ragna said to Grey, trying to at least look polite.

"Ah, so you're the kid who's learning how to use BlazBlue." Ragna cringed; how did Grey know what his arm was? Grey chuckled. "Don't worry about it kid, I won't tell a soul."

Ragna was about to retort when the two heard someone running towards them. The three saw a girl, probably a year or two younger than Ragna at most, running towards them. Despite her young age, she already showed signs of muscle developing.

"Ah, Bullet. Back from your run already, that's record time." Grey said smiling. "Jubei, Ragna, meet Bullet. She met our company about a year ago after we saved her from Ben the Crimson. She wasn't willing to go to an orphanage, so we made her one of ours."

Outcast from society as they were, even Ragna and Jubei had heard about Ben the Crimson, one of the goriest and most elusive serial killer the world had seen. He was responsible for ending over a thousand families. If that wasn't bad enough, the bastard had the nerve to kill the children only after they watched him murder their parents. In short, he reminded Ragna of another side of Terumi.

"Wait, you're the guys who caught Bloody Ben!?" Ragna asked in disbelief. He'd seen that this guy was good, but this was another story. 'Bloody Ben' as he was sometimes referred to (for reasons easy to guess at) was also considered one of the most dangerous ars magus user in history. Besides the families Ben had torn at, he'd also managed to take down a squad of NOL elites by himself. He'd even manage to escape NOL custody and was on the loose again, this time staying silent.

"Who's this moron?" the girl asked speaking for the first time.

"The hell you say to me runt?!" Ragna bit back.

"RAGNA!/BULLET!" Jubei and Grey scolded their respective apprentices.

Grey sighed. "All right then, I guess we have no choice but to settle it the usual way."

Bullet's eyes widened. "Sir, you don't mean-"

"I do, both of you and go fight it out in the woods until you feel ready to come back. Understand?"

"Che, fine by me," Ragna said as he walked off towards a small clearing about a mile away. Bullet followed closely behind.

As they continued to walk Ragna decided to speak up. "Just to let you know, I'm not the type of person to go easy on anyone, and don't get me started with the whole girl sexism thing, I never listened to that stupid crap."

"Well, I'm not the type to go easy on anyone either, Pretty Boy," Bullet finished with a glare.

"Wait, you consider me a pretty boy?" Ragna asked surprised, first time he'd been called THAT. Bullet blushed for a moment before hitting Ragna on the head. "OW! THE HELL DID I SAY!?"

"You were making fun of me, and I didn't appreciate it," Bullet said passively.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry geeze. Man, you hit harder than I would've though."

"The last person who underestimated me said that they'd 'Have no Problem dealing with me.' Guess he wasn't expecting a haymaker to the groin."

Ragna cringed; that did not sound pleasant. "Who the hell deserved that?"

"Ben the Crimson after he'd finished murdering my parents."

Ragna stayed silent after hearing that. "You're not apologizing," Bullet said to him.

"What do you mean?"

"Every time someone heard about that they would apologize about what I had to go through, but you don't. Why is that?"

"Because I know how empty it can really sound."

"Who did you lose then?" Bullet asked.

"Everyone. The matron who was taking care of us was killed in cold blood. My little brother was forced to chop my arm off, and then I had to watch him and my little sister get kidnapped by the bastard."

Bullet nodded a sad look on her face. "Then Jubei caught him?" Ragna shook his head.

"No, the bastards still out there. But when I'm stronger, I'm going to kill him myself."

"Just like I'm going to do with Bloody Ben."

The two had arrived at the clearing and both got on opposite side. "Hey Bullet, promised me something. To kill that son of a bitch that ruined your life, never give up or stop fighting. Until the end," Ragna said as he cricked his neck.

"It's a promise," Bullet said cracking her knuckles, before grinning. "But you have to promise me the same thing."

Ragna returned the grin. "I wouldn't have it any other way." The two ran at each other fists ready for a fight.

While the two fought, their teachers watched in the trees unnoticed by the two. "Look like they'll do alright," Grey commented smiling with pride.

"Looks like it," Jubei agreed, the same smile on his face.

*End Flashback*

"That was YOU?" Ragna said in disbelief. "Then again, I don't know any other girls named Bullet."

Bullet smirked. "I was wondering how long it would take you to catch on."

"Yeah, yeah, anyways stew's ready." Ragna pulled the stew from the top of the stove and removed the lip. To say the stew looked perfect would've been an understatement to the starving Bullet. The two scooped out their proportions into their appropriate bowls.

"Hold on a sec," Ragna said before getting up to leave. He came back a less than a minute later with to wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. He poured a glass for each of them. "Here's to our promise," he said as the glasses clinked together.

Bullet smiled a real smile. One that was truer to Ragna than what he'd seen any other time before. One that actually showed a smile sign of emotion and happiness. "To our bond."

 **One announcement, One Chapter, and this story already has fifteen followers… I guess this couple's more popular than I thought. Anyways, here's the second chapter Rate and Review. Be on the lookout for "The Grim Reaper and the Beastkin" as I'm finally showing the end to the Continuum Shift arc. There will also be a few important announcements on that board, so pay attention. What did you guys think about the slowly igniting romance between these two? Ciao!**

 **I don't own BlazBlue.**


	3. Another Threat

_Chapter III: Another Threat_

 **Have Renard's "** ** _Terminal"_** **opened in another tab and ready on YouTube; I'll tell you when to cue it in.**

Ragna yawned as he cricked his neck, watching the sunrise great the morning with its golden glow. A few feet away from him, Bullet was still sleeping contently. After grabbing dinner last night, the two had decided to spend another night in the woods. Despite the concentrations of Seither in the wilderness, the two had lived in the woods long enough to know what areas to avoid and how to tell where the Seither was most focused. Ragna ended up waiting there another hour for the mercenary to awaken, by which point the sun had fully risen.

Bullet yawned as she slowly brought herself up from the tree she'd been laying on. She wiped the sleep out of her eyes as she nodded to Ragna. She then noticed the time of day and glared at the Reaper. "Damn it, Ragna! I told you that I wanted to leave before sunrise, what the hell's this?!"

"'Morning to you too Bullet," the Reaper scoffed. "You looked exhausted last night, so I took second watch to let you catch up on your sleep. Is this any way to thank your childhood friend for looking out for you?" Ragna said teasingly.

Bullet continued to glare. "Okay, first off, you didn't remember me until last night." Ragna shrugged in admittance. "Second, I can still kick your ass like I did in that sparring match when we were kids."

"Hey!" Ragna retorted. "We tied and you know it!"

"Thirdly…" Bullet said before smirking. "Playing the role of a gentleman really doesn't fit you."

Ragna returned Bullet's previous glare before smirking himself. "What, do you want me to play the part of a rude, sardonic asshole?"

Bullet grinned. "You wouldn't really have to play the part; I think it comes naturally to you."

"HEY!" Ragna shouted. _The hell's her problem? Didn't she once call me… oh, oh, now I remember._ The Reaper smiled evilly. "I don't think you mean that. You wouldn't say something like that to your **_senpai_** , right?"

Bullet could swear she felt the blood rush to her head as her face turned crimson. _He didn't just…_ Noticing Ragna still holding his smile, Bullet had all the confirmation she needed. _He did!_ "Th-that was a decade ago you jerk! And I only called you that once!"

Unable to hold it in any longer, Ragna burst out laughing. He sagged against the tree and held his chest because his ribs were hurting. "You should have seen your face Bullet; it was priceless!"

Bullet continued to glare at Ragna, but she couldn't hold her facade for long. Eventually, she joined in the laughing as well. "Please," she said wiping a tear out of her eye. "We're both being ridiculous."

"Have to agree with you there," Ragna admitted, catching his breath after his laughing episode. Noticing Bullet's still smiling face he decided to ask, "Why the hell are you so happy?"

"Strange as it sounds, it's nice to finally have someone I can laugh with."

"Yeah, I guess…" Ragna was abruptly silent before his eyes grew wide. "GET DOWN!" he shouted as he tackled Bullet to the ground.

The tree that had been behind her was shredded right before their very eyes. The two got to their feet as fifty figures emerged from the bushes all equipped with Ars Magus weapons. Ragna and Bullet both knew what these people were; vigilantes, bounty hunters. The one in the front regarded them both with a sneer on his face. He had an Ars Magus launcher, the smoke still emitting from its barrel.

"Looks today is our lucky day, boys!" he said in a greasy voice. "Not only are we about to take down the biggest bounty in history, but we also have someone to have fun with afterwards." Each of the bounty hunters gave a dark laugh that made Ragna's blood boil.

"I got first dibs on the broad!" one of his flunkies shouted.

"No! I've got her!" another one yelled.

The group continued their disgusting argument, all of them laughing, while some of them giving perverse details of what they were going to do. Ragna, unable to hold in his aggression any longer, grabbed one of the surviving branches from the tree that and threw it at the leader as hard as he could. The wood shattered as it hit the fools head, causing the man himself to go flying and breaking his neck in the process.

(Cue Song)

The bounty hunters stopped laughing and, after what felt like an hour to them, the leader crashed to the ground, where he lay limp. The remaining forty-nine vigilantes froze with shock before they slowly looked back to the Grim Reaper who cracked his knuckles as he slowly approached them.

"Mind if I join in?" Bullet asked walking beside the Reaper as she charged and revved her gauntlets with flames. Needless to say, Bullet was almost as pissed as Ragna. Almost.

"Be my guest," Ragna said nonchalantly as he grabbed out Blood-Scythe, his dark energy already radiating off the sword.

"YOU BASTARD!" a Vigilante shouted as he shot at Ragna with his mini-gun.

Ragna deflected the hailstorm of Ars Magus bullets with Blood-Scythe with ease and rushed his foe, cutting him in half with his sword. A swordsman came from behind in an attempt to impale his prey on his katana, the Reaper knocked his opponent off his feet with a low kick before upper-cutting his head and blasting him back with a powerful punch to the chest.

The Vigilant flew past Bullet before crashing into a tree. The Mercenary rushed at one of her foes, dodging the gunshots from his magnums. She then grabbed her opponents by his shirt collar and blasted him in the face with her fire gauntlets. The man let out a pain filled scream as Bullet threw him into a group of his friends and destroyed them all with a blast of fire. She immediately knocked a knife wielder into the air with **Cutting Shear** before slamming him into another Vigilante with her **Explode Engage** technique. Bullet then blasted the two of them away from her with a powerful kick.

Ragna dodged as the two bodies flew past him, both of them smashing into another gun wielder. Using that time to his advantage, Ragna changed Blood-Scythe to scythe form and cut through the three of them in one slash. The Reaper then twirled his Scythe over his head before unleashing a massive slash, ending seven more Vigilantes.

" **Flint Shooter!** " Bullet yelled as her gauntlet caused an explosion which sent two of the Vigilantes into the air. She then grabbed one of her victims' legs and swung him into the other Vigilante before grabbing that one's legs and throwing them both into another group of Vigilantes. She then rushed the group, " **Piercing Engage**!" she shouted before blasting them through their chest with her gauntlet.

After that, the Vigilante's stood no chance. Between Ragna's skill with scythe and Bullet's ruthlessness with her gauntlets, the Vigilantes were killed in a violent dance of fire and swords (Bullet even lit Ragna's scythe on fire to make it even more devastating). They may have been outnumbered 50 to 2, but the difference in skill was just too vast.

(End song)

The remaining Vigilante grabbed his fallen leader's large grenade launcher and pointed it at the two. "Stay back!" he yelled, his voice caked with fear. "I'm warning you; don't take another step towards me!"

Ragna glared at the remaining threat. "Your partners and your boss are dead. I don't really think you're in a position to be giving out threats asshole."

The Vigilante gave a psychotic laugh. "Oh, that wasn't our boss. You think that piece of garbage was our boss? No… but our real boss has a score to settle with you, Reaper. He's insulted that you're flying his colors, you're making a mockery of him!"

"'The hell are you talking about?" Ragna demanded, his patience waning.

The man gave another psychotic laugh. "I'd really think you'd remember the name of the true greatest criminal in history; the one who really belongs in red. Everyone's true nightmare…

"I've already faced enough of those pathetic freaks," Ragna retorted. "One more isn't going to be a problem."

The grunt gave a demonic sneer. "Not even Ben the Crimson?"

Bullets eyes grew wide. _Ben the Crimson's here!? In Ikaruga!?_ Without a second thought she marched up to the man, grabbed his collar, and yelled in his face, "WHERE THE HELL IS HE!?"

The man gave a pathetic whimper as he dropped his weapon, "H-H-He's been hiding in Ikaruga's slums! I think he's still there, in the abandoned warehouse! I'm telling you the truth! If you hurry you can catch him! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

Bullet debated whether or not to let the man live, those who had conspired with the serial killer had been known to be as bad as he was. In the end, Bullet threw the man against a tree as hard as she could. The man let out a painful chough as his back slammed against the wood, but quickly caught his breath when his saw the pair of yellow glaring at him, full of anger and vengeance.

"If I ever find you again, I'll kill you on sight! Understand!?" Bullet shouted.

The man gave a loud squeal as he ran for towards the forest as fast as he could. Ragna let out a small breath of relief, he'd been afraid that Bullet was going to murder someone who was at her mercy… not that the bastard hadn't deserved it. "So Bloody Ben's here…" he said darkly before resetting Blood-Scythe. "Let's go."

"This doesn't concern you Ragna," Bullet said glaring at the Reaper.

"The hell it doesn't, I'm not letting you go after that freak by yourself."

The two entered a battle of glares. Earlier in their childhood, these two had a similar struggle to this one (over their dessert no less), in which Bullet won hands down. This time however, Ragna refused to surrender and Bullet slowly felt her guard fall under his steeled gaze.

"Tch… fine," she relented. "It's better than letting that bastard get away."

"Or letting him kill you," Ragna admitted worriedly. Noticing Bullet's glare, he decided to elaborate. "Look, I'm not denying you're strong, but bastards like him are unpredictable. I can't let you go alone in good conscious; at the very least I can keep him from trying anything."

"Fine, but in return, I'll help you kill the bastard that ruined your life, whoever he is. Fair's fair and all that."

"Hey! That's between me and him! I don't want you involved in that!"

"Ragna…" Bullet said testily with a glare.

"Eh… one stare-down out of three; not bad."

Next Time: Vengeance

 **I don't own BlazBlue or** ** _Terminal_** **.**

 **Another chapter done. As I said before on my Bio page, I'll be updating this story every other Friday. Whenever I update this story, I'll also update** ** _FINAL FANTASY VII: The Legacy Continues_** **. On the other Friday I'll update** ** _The Grim Reaper and Beastkin_** **and** ** _Devil Bringer._** **I'll post a reminder in each of those stories as well.**

 **As a side note, I've opened a poll for this fanfiction, letting you to decide if you want Ragna and Bullet to grow stronger in this fiction, like the Ragna and Makoto in my other one. I'll warn you in advance that the two Ragna's will have different fighting styles and obviously Bullet and Makoto will be different as well. The poll will open on the 21** **st** **and remain open until September 4** **th** **.**

 **Ben the Crimson will by no means be a permanent OC, he's just there for plot development. If you have any ideas about his weapons or tactics, go ahead and leave a review, keep in mind I may give his weapon to Ragna or Bullet if I do make them stronger.**

 **Anyways, rate, review, and let me know what you thought about that '"fight" scene. Seriously, fifty bounty hunters against the Grim Reaper? Try a thousand and see where that gets you.**

 **Ciao.**


	4. Vengeance

_Chapter IV: Vengeance_

"You sure this is the place?" Bullet asked Ragna as the two approached an abandoned warehouse in the slums. The weather system in Ikaruga had been knocked out long before so the two found themselves approaching this desolate location in the rain.

"It has to be," Ragna assured her, while he closed his eyes and concentrated. "I can sense two people inside. One of them is that bastard we let get away in the woods. Guess he doesn't know when to quit."

"You can sense people?" Bullet asked surprised.

"Yeah, my BlazBlue improves my sense while I got the rest with my training with Jubei… Bullet, about that other presence, I've only sensed something like this twice before… and I was almost massacred both of those fights."

"Are you trying to get me to turn back?" Bullet accused.

"No, just…" Ragna sighed. "Be careful; I know what people like him are capable of."

"I'm not a child Ragna, I'll be fine." Bullet said before walking over and opening the warehouse door.

 _It's like looking into a mirror,_ the Reaper thought grimly as he followed his childhood friend into the warehouse. The inside of the ware house was very basic; the floor was completely aside from a few beams on the side which held up the second floor lofts which were pack with old and rusted machinery.

The two presences that Ragna had sensed outside were on the other side of the room. It was the Vigilante from the woods alright; he regarded the two with an obvious sneer. The other man was sitting on a pile of rubble, rearranged to look like a throne. His body was completely covered in black bandages that he wore a black cloak over. His eyes gave off a demonic pale blue glow, with black energy radiating off of them.

" _ **So you've arrived, Reaper,**_ "he said in a powerful voice. " _ **Ragna the Bloodedge, just your very name sends fear in to those who hear it. I'm glad the two of us could finally meet after such a long time.**_ "

"Ben the Crimson," Ragna said, regarding the man. "You seem pretty different from your wanted posters."

Indeed, the Ben the Crimson in the NOL's wanted records looked very different. That version of the serial killer had messy blonde hair, pale skin, and an insane look in his green eyes. He was also known for murdering most of his victims with a machete and was often depicted holding said weapon.

" _ **That picture was once accurate, very long ago. That was before the NOL had… fixed me. But posters and bounties don't matter here. Here, all that matters is proving once and for all that I am the true nightmare in this world, not some second rate revolutionary.**_ "

"Sorry, but the fight's going not going to be with me," Ragna said standing aside. Bullet then approached the throne, charging her gauntlets with fire. "This is her show."

" _ **Ah yes, I remember you, young one. Your parents were my last victims as a serial killer. Right before that accursed mercenary interrupted us.**_ " He turned to Ragna. " _ **Really, does the Grim Reaper always hide behind young women and let them do the fighting for him? I expected better of you than this.**_ " Ben the Crimson slowly rose from his seat. " _ **But no matter, this way I get to tie up two lose ends at once. This woman will provide the perfect warm-up before our struggle, Reaper.**_ "

(Cue _Blood Pain II_ )

"Hey boss! What about me, huh!?" the dejected Vigilante called from beside the serial killer. "I brought those two here; where the hell's my pay?!"

"You bastard! I gave you a chance and I promised I'd kill you on-sight if I ever saw you again!" Bullet yelled at the nameless Vigilante.

" _ **Please, allow me.**_ "

With that, Ben the Crimson's bandages suddenly came to life and impaled the Vigilante. The victim let out a scream of pain, but no blood came from the wounds. Instead, the bandages started to turn red, and the crimson hue spread as the serial killer drained more blood. In only a few seconds, all of the demonic coverings had turned to a deep crimson, completely draining the man.

" _ **Now then, young lady… How about we finish the business we started with each other so long ago?**_ " Ben offered before breaking the drained vigilante in half with his red appendages.

Ben's bandages shot out at Bullet to impale her, the Mercenary responded by guarding against one of the appendages with her gauntlet, but the others snaked around to the side to impale her. Bullet flipped over the infernal appendages and shot a small burst of fire at her tormentor. More bandages appeared in front of Ben to defend him from the flames.

"TAKE THIS!" Bullet said before rushing for the bandages side and connecting a devastating kick to Ben's face. The contact was solid, but the Killer didn't seem to notice as he used a bandage to smack Bullet off of him. Bullet flew off the ground for a few feet before skidding to the ground and bringing herself to a stop.

" _ **Is that really the best you've got? I thought you'd have gotten a little stronger since you were a sniveling whelp!**_ " Ben the Crimson said before blood started leaking from his bandages. Immediately the liquid reformed and the killer held a Kusarigama, two sickles connected by a chain. " _ **Dodge this one!**_ " he challenged as he threw one of the sickles in an arc. Bullet quickly stepped back to avoid the devastating attack before sidestepping the other sickle and lunging at Ben.

"THIS IS FOR MY FAMILY" Bullet yelled as she blasted white hot flames into Ben's face. The serial killer screamed as his bandages flailed trying to get the flames out. "TAKE THIS!" Bullet screamed as she struck her tormentors stomach and caused an explosion on impact through her gloves, the impact alone was strong enough to shatter the glass ceiling and let the rain in. The serial killer was horribly burned but alive as he fell at her feet.

*End Song*

" _ **Ha... Seems that I underestimated your abilities young one... Now I'll die to the one that got away... How ironic."**_

"You should know that you had this coming after you slaughtered my parents and the mercenaries who raised me!" Bullet screamed, charging her gauntlets in front of Ben's face.

" _ **You mean Grey Markesan and his men? I had nothing to do with that slaughter... Though I do know who did... The NOL told me about that unfortunate event. I had wanted to kill him myself...**_ "

"The NOL?" Bullet said dubiously. "What do they have to do with this?"

" _ **Everything child, everything. Sending me over the edge in a blood driven frenzy... Experimenting on me... And even releasing me for several 'field tests.' In fact, killing your parents was one of those said tests."**_

Bullet's eyes grew wide and her teeth became clenched. "YOU'RE LYING!"

" _ **What would I have to gain with that? I'm already dead either way once they found out I failed to kill Ragna the Bloodedge... The reason for turning me into an evolved killing machine... The reason I exist... It's all because the Librarium want to copy HIS strength. The strength of the one who killed your second family.**_ "

Ben coughed terribly under his bandages; it seemed that his life was coming to an end.

"Who did they want to copy? Who killed my family? ANSWER ME!"

" _ **Az...rael...**_ " Ben said at last, before dying.

(Cue _Dearly Beloved from Kingdom Hearts (358/2 Version))_

Bullet fired her charged gauntlets at her tormentor and destroyed the body. After the blast, only ash remained. She sank to her knees, and for the first time since her parents death... she cried. The tears leaked from her eyes and fell to the abandoned warehouse floor with the rest of the rain. After a few moments she felt something being draped across her shoulders and saw that Ragna had comfortingly put his jacket around her. She stayed there for another moment before rising to her feet; she could mourn later, right now there was work to be done.

Bullet slowly made her way to her feet. "So my parents... it was all planned with the NOL and it didn't matter that they were killing innocent people... Why would they do this?"

"I don't know," Ragna said honestly with his arms crossed. "But if they were trying to copy the mad dog's power with Ben, there's nothing stopping them from trying again."

"Except for you," Bullet reminded him. Ragna nodded. "And now me."

Ragna gave a small smile. "You sure you want to be a revolutionary? It doesn't pay that well, and our insurance policy is pretty lousy."

"Hmph, something tells me my coworker won't be that bad to work with though." Bullet said grinning. "Even if he is a rude, sardonic, asshole."

"Guilty," Ragna admitted, still smiling.

"Ragna?" the two heard. They turned and saw a young blonde women in a blue skirt. She was with a squirrel beastkin and a man with spiky, raven black hair.

"Noel, thank god. Do you know where Kokonoe is?"

"Hold on a minute... you're Ragna the Bloodedge?" the raven haired man asked dubiously. "Sorry... but-"

"It's those damn posters I assure you, Black Knight" Ragna replied.

"Looks that way, and call me Kagura okay?" Kagura said grinning. "If you know the professor I suppose that means that you two have a lot to catch up on. Come with us, well head to the branch and I can get you up to speed."

"Alright then," Bullet said making her way towards the three. Noticing Noel and Makoto constantly looking at her she agitatedly asked, "What?"

"Uh... why are you wearing Ragna's jacket?"

Bullet felt her face go crimson as Ragna walked up beside her. "Just trying to keep a lady out of the rain."

Makoto laughed. "Right, YOU trying to be a gentleman? I call bull."

"Hey..." Ragna said a little hurt. All others present gave a small laugh, even Bullet grinned slightly.

 _So Ben the Crimson wasn't the real threat after all,_ Bullet thought as she followed Ragna and the others towards the NOL branch. _But that doesn't mean I'll stop fighting, after all I promised him that I'd never stop fighting... Until the bitter end._

 **A/N: I don't own BlazBlue or the accompanying Music.**

 **Sorry this chapter is later than the usual ones. I had a lot going on with my personal life and I wasn't able to put the chapter out immediately. Thank you for having patience though.**

 **I deleted the delay message before this, so I just wanted everyone to know the official results from the poll.**

 **Stronger: 13**

 **The Same: 3**

 **As you can see, the characters are going to be getting stronger in the upcoming chapters. Now that Ben the Crimson is dead, the events will closely follow the events in the video game, the big diffrence being Bullet getting more screen time.**

 **Lastly, if any of you saw that Troll chapter I put up saying I was cancelling this story I'm sincerely sorry. It was late and I thought I'd do something fun, but I took it too far.**

 **Anyways, Rate, Review, give me some ideas on how to make the characters stronger and I'll see you all next chapter.**

 **Ciao.**


	5. The Coup

_Chapter V: The Coup_

' _Never thought I'd ever be able to walk into an NOL branch like this,'_ Ragna thought as he traveled through the hallway. He came across the occasional NOL guard that gave him a hateful glare, but once they saw that he was with the Black Knight they backed off. The group stepped into Kagura's office where Kokonoe was waiting for them with Tager.

"Enjoy your little walk?" the Grimalkin directed to Noel and Makoto, the venom seething through clear as day. The said two gulped audibly, they'd crossed with someone you just don't want to cross with. "What the hell am I going to do with you two?" She then focused her attention on Ragna and Bullet. "Why the hell are you here?"

"I want answers Kokonoe," Bullet said trying to calm her temper. "What did you have to do with the massacre at the hands of Grey Markesan and the rest of his Mercenary group?"

Kokonoe sighed, these demons from the past would continue to haunt her. "You mean his massacre at the hands of Azrael, appropriately titled, 'The Mad Dog'… I'm the one who created the mission to capture Azrael. In order to keep him busy I needed to hire a mercenary group in order keep him busy. Grey and his men were efficient and rumored to be the best at what they do, so I hired them."

Bullet narrowed her eyes, Kokonoe was being more cooperative than she would've thought. "What about James here?" she said gesturing to Tager.

"I'm sorry?" the Red Devil questioned.

"Tager was a member of the mercenary group that was barely able to hang on to life. I didn't enjoy turning him into what he is now, but at least he's alive. Don't expect him to remember anything though, he's had amnesia since the incident. I wasn't expecting you or anyone who personally knew Grey to still be alive."

"Grey practically raised me after I lost my parents," Bullet responded. "So why are you working with the Black Knight of all people?"

Kagura cleared his throat to speak. "I'm in the middle of performing a military coup against the Imperator. There's been far too much slaughter and conspiracy inside the NOL as it is. I'm hoping to change that. Of course I'd like some help from you and Ragna."

"Fine," Ragna agreed as Bullet gave a reluctant nod in agreement. "But after this I'm going to need to have Noel help me. There's this thing in Ikaruga and she's the only one who can find it."

"You mean Kushinada's Lynchpin," Kagura questioned the Reaper. "Don't worry, after we've taken care of what we've needed to and gotten some down time, finding the Lynchpin will be the first thing we do."

"Sounds good I- ARG!" Ragna felt a sudden, painful pulse throughout his entire body. Once he got his bearings back he realized his right eye had closed and his left arm was completely immobile. "What the hell is this?!"

"Uh, professor?" The group turned and saw a red headed woman in a mini skirt walk inside the office. Standing behind her was a shorter man with dark hair and a bowl cut. The red head regarded Ragna in surprise for a moment and looked like she was about to say something, but stopped herself.

"Ah Celica, Hibiki, come right in, I was just getting them updated on the situation we're in."

"Don't disregard it like that!" Ragna yelled at Kagura before directing his rant to Kokonoe. "What the hell did you just do to my eye and arm?"

"That's part of Celica's special ability. She can negate Seither's effects and in some cases negate its flow… but not on a level as powerful as the lynchpin. At any rate Ragna, the first thing on our list is taking care of Azrael."

Bullets eyes grew wide. Mark's murderer was here in Ikaruga? "I thought you said you captured him!"

Kokonoe sighed. "I did capture him, and I left him in cold storage. The problem was those Sector Seven bastards thought it would be a good idea to let that monster out and sick 'im on me!" She sighed. "If we're even going to get this revolutionary started we need to focus on taking care of Azrael first."

"Fine," Bullet stated. "So what's the plan?"

Kagura gave a grin as Kokonoe made her way out of the room with Tager to make some adjustments on her machinery. "Simple. Ragna, as of right now you've been captured by the NOL."

Ragna was beginning to realize how much he hated this guy. "Excuse you?!"

"Oh yeah, you put up quite the fight, killed over fifty of my finest officers and soldiers, but eventually you were overwhelmed and taken down by none other than yours truly. 'Black Knight take down the Grim Reaper.' Talk about your headlines, the journalists are gonna go crazy for this."

"…So this is part of the plan? Okay, I'm captured then what?"

"Simple, we make you the bait," Kagura said, never removing his grin. "Azrael's been wanting to hunt you down ever since he found out about you. To make things better, we're putting you in a setting that guarantees that he'll show. 'The Tournament of Ragna the Bloodedge.' It'll bring Vigilantes and Mercenaries from all over trying to claim your head and that massive bounty to go along with it."

"That seems kind of sadistic," Bullet commented. "But I like the tournament idea, maybe I can find out how a rank against a few of these other Bounty Hunters."

Ragna gave a small grin at his new partner. "True, but what if we meet in the finals?"

Bullet returned the grin. "Then I have an excuse the kick your ass."

"Anyways," Kagura continued. "Once we have Azrael where we want him, we'll put him in his own personal jail cell. One that's in-between dimensions, he's not getting out of that one anytime soon. Then after that, we'll focus our attention on getting Tsubaki out of the Imperator's control. Jin would kill me if I forgot that."

"So he's here too…" Ragna said, his anger seeping through the otherwise simple words. "Where the hell is he?"

"You're sure to see him around sometime," Kagura assured, though he didn't have any idea's why the wanted man was acting this way about the Ex-Major, did they have some kind of history? "The first thing that we need to do is prepare for the tournament. We all have some down time until that's done, five days give or take. Rest up now, things are about to get hectic."

"Come on Noel, we should check out the town a little!" Makoto said before dragging her best friend off.

"You don't have to drag me Makoto! Hey, slow down!"

"Wait for me you guys!" Celica said before running off with them. "See you later Ragna!" she called over her shoulder.

"What's with them?" Bullet asked Ragna, the Reaper merely shook his head.

"I don't know… why don't you go with them? Maybe have some fun of your own for once."

"You mean keep them out of trouble," Bullet asserted. "Fine, what about you?"

"If Kagura's going to be spreading rumors about my capture, I'll need to sit tight. There's no way anyone'll buy it if they see my walking through town like I own the place."

"Got it, I'll see you later tonight." And with that the Mercenary left.

Ragna sighed before his body gave another small pulse. Now he was able to move his eye and arm without problem. "Well that's good, so what's there to do around here?"

Kagura scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I dunno, maybe I can call up some of my friends and we can have a party. I can just tell 'em you cosplay as Ragna, the chicks might dig that."

"Pass," Ragna said glaring at the so-called 'Black Knight'. He was starting to worry about the idea of this philanderer leading a revolution. "What about these books?" He said before grabbing a large one off of Kagura's desk. "Doesn't have a title on it, but there's a set of nine. Might help me kill some time."

After Ragna left with the books, Kagura was alone at his desk for a few minutes before he realized that the books Ragna had taken were ones that Kokonoe had brought… the ones that only glancing at earned him death threats and worse from the pink hair witch. A witch that could turn a man an inch from death into a hulking giant that had enough strength to propel himself into space and create his own mini-nuke.

 _Oh shit._

As if the fates hated him Kokonoe then decided to make her return. "Well the barriers are in place and everything else checks ou-… Kagura, why are you looking at me like I'm about to kill you?"

"Kokonoe, what were those books you left on my desk?"

The Grimalkin sighed. "They were books that my mother had left for me. Why, did Ragna take them?" After Kagura had nodded (while sweating profusely in fear) Kokonoe sighed to herself. "Let the idiot read 'em, it's not like he's going to be able to understand them, much less use them."

' _Wait, so I merely look at them and Kokonoe threatens to kill me, but Ragna takes the entire set and she's fine with it!? How did I get so unlucky…?'_

Next Time: The Mad Dog and the Destroyer

 **Author's Note: Don't own BlazBlue, most likely never will.**

 **This chapter is only here to set the stage for the upcoming chapter, one that I think the lot of you will hopefully enjoy. I honestly didn't know how to present most of this chapter, so I apologize for that. I may include some interaction between Bullet and the rest of the girls in another chapter, maybe some sort of gag reel.**

 **Rate, Review, and look for the next chapter. It may take a while to put out, put I promise you it's going to be EPIC.**

 **Ciao.**


	6. The Mad Dog and the Destroyer

_Chapter VI: The Mad Dog and the Destroyer_

 _Ikaruga: NOL Branch Balcony (The night before the tournament)_

Ragna sat on the balcony edge while reading the last book that Kokonoe had on her. He admitted that these tomes were pretty interesting, and this was coming from a guy who hadn't pick up a book in years. _'Might not be a bad idea to take up some light reading every now and again,'_ the Reaper thought to himself. ' _Maybe it can at least calm my nerves.'_

Ragna the attempted to channel energy to his arm, not the BlazBlue, but his other arm. He held it for a moment, but there wasn't any reaction. ' _Still nothing huh? Well if I can't do Ars Magus without the BlazBlue then this crap's impossible…_ _Still, what the hell am I doing wrong?'_ Ragna sighed to himself. ' _I should try and get some sleep, tomorrows gonna be a pain in the ass to deal with, and I'll I've been doing for five days is reading these books.'_

Ragna finished the last paragraph in the book before closing it. "Time for some shut eye."

"So you really were here." Ragna turned and saw the _last_ person he wanted to deal with right now. "I was beginning to think I'd never see you before tomorrow… brother."

"Jin," Ragna said as he regarded his younger sibling. The Kisaragi heir placed his hand on Yukianesa's hilt, preparing to draw his sword. "You really are a single minded idiot, you know that? Look at you, only focused on killing your older bro. What about Tsubaki?"

Though Jin's facial expression didn't change, he did not draw his blade, not yet. "What about her?"

"I'm part of the plan to get her back idiot! If you want to kill me, we can settle this right here and now! Just keep in mind, you kill me any chance of getting your girlfriend back dies with me… Jin, you'll lose this fight no matter have you look at it."

Jin regarded Ragna's words for a moment before taking his hand off the hilt. "Very well, we'll settle this later."

"Good choice, I hate t- AGH! DAMMIT!" Ragna groaned as he lost feeling in his right arm and eye again. "This crap again… Celica, where are you?"

"Uh… heh heh, hi?" The redhead said nervously as she emerged from her hiding place. "Come on don't glare at me like that you two! I was worried when I saw Jin going towards you with that sword! Do you two really have to fight?"

"Hmph, well I can't with you around," Jin said harshly. "You really ruin the mood."

"Hey!" Celica exclaimed as Yukianesa's wielder shoved his way past her. "He hasn't really changed, has he?"

Ragna regarded Celica. ' _Hasn't changed? So they know each other? Is she… no, she can't be. The Sister died over a decade ago, I've seen her grave too many times to say otherwise._

"By the way Ragna," Celica said. "Bullet was looking for you, apparently she wanted to talk to you about something before tomorrow."

"Oh sure, thanks for letting me know," Ragna said as he made his way away.

"Yeah, and good luck, I'll be cheering for you in the crowd!"

 _'Damn it,'_ Ragna thought as he made his way towards Bullet's room, his eye and arm starting to move again. _'If Celica's going to be there, things are going to be a lot more complicated for me without my eye and arm.'_ He knocked on the door. "Hey Bullet, you in?"

The door opened revealing the silver hair Mercenary. "Yeah, come in." Ragna stepped into Bullet's room, it was a lot like his, pretty plain. "I'm glad we haven't had any unexpected events since that encounter with that THING two nights ago."

"You mean Arakune," Ragna said. "Yeah, I'm glad Noel was able to get over the shock of that one… "

"Me too. Anyways, I you wanted to talk about something before tomorrow. It's about Azrael."

Ragna narrowed his eyes. "What about him? You seemed to be following Kokonoe's orders pretty strictly to imprison him. A little too eager…"

Bullet shook her head. "I'm not going to be following her orders tomorrow. She wanted him contained, I want that bastard DEAD!"

Ragna sighed. "Bullet…"

"How are we supposed to let a monster like that live!? He's a killing machine that doesn't care who he's killed! I'm not about to rest until he's dead!"

"Bullet!" Ragna said with more authority. The Mercenary stopped her shouting. "Look I get it! I get it! All that matters to you is killing the bastard that ruined your life! But this isn't the answer! He's out of your league, HELL he's out of everyone's league! I'm not about to let my friend die needlessly."

Bullet glared at her friend. "If I have the chance, I'm killing him, end of story."

"Bullet, I-!"

"Just go," Bullet commanded him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Ragna was about to say something, but he stopped himself; Bullet was pretty vulnerably right now, he didn't want to say anything that would upset her further. "Tomorrow then," he said before exiting the room and closing the door.

After the Reaper had left, Bullet let a few tears she'd been holding in fall. "Damn it Ragna, I didn't want to yell at you."

* * *

*Outside Bullet's Room*

"Damn it!" Ragna said to himself as he stomped down the hallway. "She's going to try and charge that monster!? Is she being suicidal?!"

"Ragna?" he heard Noel say, Ragna turned and regarded her.

"Oh, Noel, sorry. Didn't mean to wake you."

"No, it's not that, I just wanted to talk to you about something."

Ragna sighed. "Look Noel, it's late and I'm really not in a good mood right now, can't this wait?"

"Actually it's about Miss Bullet. Something that I've noticed."

Alright, Ragna might've been pissed at Bullet's attitude right now, but that didn't mean he wasn't worried about her. And he definitely wasn't petty enough to just ignore a possible problem towards her. "What do you mean noticed?"

"I'm not sure I have complete control of my Eye of the Azure ability, but I've always noticed something in Bullet's eyes."

"Really, what is it?" Ragna asked.

"It's the difference between when she's with our group of girls and when she's with you."

"What do you mean?" Ragna questioned, perplexed.

"Don't laugh at me, but when she's with the girls she'll pretend to have fun… but so far it's only been that. When she's with you, I can't really explain it, she seems to open up much more. When she's with anyone else she's on constant guard, but with you is the only time I've ever seen her really be at ease."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying to say she really cares about your friendship, and it's hurting her to push you away like this. If there was another way she'd try it, but she's only doing what feels she has to."

Ragna was silent for a moment as he regarded Noels words. "Maybe you're right, I guess I'll just have to put my faith in Bullet for right now."

Noel nodded. "I think that'd be for the best… but what if something happens tomorrow?"

"It won't, I'm going to be there for her, even if she's in over her head. That's what friends do right?"

"Right," Noel said smiling. "Well, I think I should head off to bed, goodnight Ragna."

"Night," the Reaper said.

* * *

*The Next Morning- The Arena*

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WELCOME TO THE EVENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S TIME FOR THE TOURNAMENT OF 'RAGNA THE BLOODEDGE!' AN EXHILARATING CONTESTING BETWEEN ONLY THE BEST OF MERCENARIES AND OTHER BOUNTY HUNTERS FOR THE CHANCE TO CLAIM THE TITANTIC BOUNTY ON THIS LAWLESS, BLOODTHIRSTY, AND UGLY REVOLUTIONARY!"

' _Ugly!?'_ Ragna thought to agitatedly to himself. _'I'm not that bad looking! Even with one eye closed!'_

"AND WHO ELSE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CAPTURE OF THIS HEINOUS CRIMINAL THAN OUR VERY OWN KAGURA MUTSUKI! A MAN WHO-!"

Ragna tried to tune out the rest of the announcer after that. This was only a stage anyways. He sighed to himself and tried to get comfortable with the binding array he was in. True, he could break out of it at any time, but he needed to play the part.

"Ragna the Bloodedge," he heard from a familiar voice. Ragna saw that red head officer he'd fought outside the city. "So it's really true, you were captured."

"What? Are you here to gloat?" Ragna asked emotionlessly.

"Gloating would be pointless as we both know the situation you're in… but after this tournament I have a mountain of questions for you, so don't expect to get out of this without an interrogation."

"I wasn't."

Tsubaki narrowed her eyes at the Reaper. "I hope you enjoy the tournament. It'll be the last pleasant experience you have."

"If it makes any difference to you, I feel like I'm in hell."

Tsubaki said nothing made her way out of the podium and the arena. Kagura regarded the Reaper before sighing.

"Shouldn't you have at least tried to look menacing?"

"And give her what she wanted? No way in hell," Ragna said stubbornly. "By the way Kagura, where's Bullet?"

"Where do you think? She's in the tournament."

"Indeed," Rachel said as she appeared beside the Reaper. "She's been training all week for this tournament, unlike someone who thought his time was better spend mulling over outdated books. Honestly Ragna, what were you trying to accomplish?"

"A relief to boredom?" Ragna said earnestly giving his 'oh shit, I'm in trouble' smile. "But what about Kokonoe? Is she ready?"

"Yeah," Kagura nodded. "She'll be ready to contain Azrael, but the machine may take some time to lock on. We'll have to keep him busy. But in the meantime, we can enjoy the tournament and take it easy."

*Time Skip*

* * *

Ragna was glad he'd brought one of those old tomes with him. He would be bored out of his mind without it. These fights were so slow and most of the competitors spend the first five minutes of every fight throwing insults at each other… not to say it hadn't been amusing when Bullet had knocked out a man twice her size in one punch while he was about to call her a bitch. That'd been amusing.

"Azrael still hasn't shown," Ragna commented. "You sure he'll come?"

"If he doesn't this whole Tournament's been for nothing… oh, look Bullet's coming up again."

While Celica and Rachel argued who would win between Bullet and Bob (Ragna honestly thought Bob was screwed), Bullet started to make her way into the arena.

"NEXT UP WE HAVE THE RISING STAR BULLET WHO'S COMING OUT OF THE GATES AS WE SPEAK! THIS WOMEN PROVED HERSELF TO BE A ONE HIT WONDER IN THE FIRST ROUND, BUT CAN SHE TAKE THE STRE-!"

Suddenly there was a massive explosion as the other gate crumbled. The entire arena shook with the force. Stepping out of the wreckage was the Mad Dog himself.

"Sorry," he said with a dark sneer. "Bob's little tied up at the moment, I'm here to replace him."

"WAH!? AZRAEL!" the announcer shouted. "WHAT IS THIS?!"

"Mad dog Azrael," Bullet said simply as she approached her opponent.

"Huh," the behemoth said. "Sorry, do I know you?"

"No, this is our first time meeting, but I've got a question for you…" Bullet reeved up her gauntlet with extreme heat. "Tell me about Grey Markesan NOW!"

(Que Azrael's Theme- The Tyrant)

"Grey… Grey… Oh, that's right. He's the little punk that helped catch me in the first place, wasn't he? He even brought along his little team of mercenaries, that's right. So you knew him then." Azrael was speaking to Bullet in a very uninterested and casual manner.

"Grey was like a father to me and you murdered him!" Bullet shouted at Azrael, causing more than a few show goers to gasp.

"Like a father, huh?" Azrael said before laughing. "In that case I should probably tell you that your dear old dad spent his last few minutes on his knees begging for his life, promising me he'd do whatever I wanted…" Azrael gave a sadistic sneer. "Even kill his own men for me, just so he could live!"

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Bullet cried out as she charged the Mad Dog. Her gauntlet hit Azrael dead on in the stomach and exploded with fire, but Azrael merely chuckled.

"WITH THAT POWER!?" he shouted as he backhanded Bullet and sent her flying. "Don't make me laugh!"

Bullet groaned as she painfully hit the cement wall. Ragna, Kagura, and everyone else was watching the events in the stands.

"What the hell are you doing Kokonoe!?" Ragna shouted over the radio. "He's here, now capture him!"

"I'm still getting a lock!" Kokonoe shouted back. "Bullet just needs to hold him for a few minutes, that's all I need!"

"Hurry up!" Ragna shouted, before breaking the array he was in, even without the BlazBlue. "That's it!" he shouted as he went to charge into the stadium.

"Ragna, wait! Bullet can handle herself, it'll be just a minute I swear! We need you to stay put! If you don't it could ruin everything!"

Back in the arena, Bullet wasn't having much luck, she was already spending too much fire and Azrael wasn't even getting hurt.

"Come on!" Azrael shouted as he threw a vicious hey maker which Bullet barely dodged. "I was expecting better than this!" he yelled as his fist impacted Bullet in her gut. The mercenary let out a muffled scream as she fell to the floor. "WEAKLING!" Azrael shouted as he kicked as he ten feet.

Despite every nerve in her body telling her to stay down, Bullet slowly made her to her feet. She may have broken bones right now, but she refused to stop fighting, especially when her killer was so close.

*Meanwhile, up in the stalls*

* * *

"I've got it!" Kokonoe shouted. Ragna and Kagura looked over the edge to see Azrael be teleported out of… nothing. No reaction. And it was that moment that Azrael landed another devastating blow to Bullet's midsection.

"No! Why isn't it working!? There shouldn't be any interference-!" That was before the static got too severe and the transmission ended.

"DAMN IT!"

*The Arena*

* * *

Azrael's last punch had knocked Bullet to the ground where she lay not breathing.

"What pathetic garbage," the Mad Dog said. "I was hoping for-!"

A sudden shout and crash was heard from the stadium. Azrael turned his attention to source of the noise and saw a man in a red coat fall into the stadium with the debris of the wall he broke though falling beside him.

"Ragna the Bloodedge," Azrael said sneering at Ragna. "I had thought you decided to skip out on this lit-!"

"YOU BASTARD!" Ragna said as he charged Azrael with Blood-Scythe drawn in his moving arm. The people in the stadium were starting to run from the event as fast as they could.

CLANG!

Ragna's sword hit Azrael's shoulder… but it didn't cut through. Not the muscle, not the skin, not even his clothing. Ragna looked up awestruck and only saw Azrael's cruel, cruel smile.

(End Song)

Azrael merely backhanded Blood-Scythe out of Ragna's hand. Ragna stumbled as his weapon flew out of his hand and land twenty feet away. Azrael then forcefully grabbed the reapers shoulder and slammed his fist into Ragna's gut.

"Is this really all you have?!" he shouted as he punch Ragna again. "Is this the Grim Reaper!?" Another punch, this caused Ragna to cough blood. "This isn't even fun anymore!" he shouted as he threw Ragna. The Reaper groaned as rolled along the stadium floor, stopping just short of where Bullet was laying. Despite the intense pain he was going through he made his way to his feet.

"Oh?" Azrael said as he held a somewhat uninterested look. "You're trying to defend that woman? Did her story about her father touch your heart strings?" The Mad Dog let out another laugh.

Kagura ran beside Ragna, his own sword drawn. "Ragna you idiot! What are you doing!?"

"Kagura," Ragna said as he wiped the blood from his mouth. "Get Bullet out of here. He's mine."

"Are you crazy!? You can't fight now! You can barely even stand!"

"JUST GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Ragna commanded.

"Aw," Azrael said mockingly. "So you do care for the girl, Reaper?"

Kagura sighed. "Alright, but once we're out of here RUN. Do you understand?"

With that Kagura slung the limp Bullet over his shoulders. Funny, he could swear he heard her mutter 'Ragna', but it might've just been the wind.

"So what if I killed the girl's father?" Azrael said grinning. "Only the strong will survive and the weak will be there dinner! Maybe, I can teach this lesson to Ikaruga and lay waste to it! Maybe then the surviving brats might get the idea! But before I do that, I THINK I'LL KILL THE BLACK KNIGHT AND THAT MERCANRY BITCH!" Azrael charged toward Kagura and brought his arm down to crush the two beneath its fist.

… _Nothing._

(Cue Song Metal Gear Rising ' _Rules of Nature'_ Extended)

No sound, no satisfying crunch. Azrael looked and saw that Ragna has stopped the attack with his arm. His RIGHT arm. Azrael could swear he felt the light sting of something on his arm, but what? Ragna reeled his left fist back and slammed Azrael in the gut.

 _'Please,'_ Azrael thought before the punch landed, _'what could he-?'_ That was before the Mad Dog was sent flying across the arena.

Azrael rolled along the arena floor before he forced himself to skid to a halt. He slowly made his way to his feet and realized his entire chest was enveloped in an odd sensation, one he hadn't encountered in years. ' _This feeling… I'm in… pain!?'_

Azrael grinned, it had been quite some time before someone had actually managed to hurt him. This Reaper would be the perfect opponent for him… that was his thought before he saw Ragna.

The Reaper had changed; now he had control over both of his arms, his eyes were open and focused entirely on Azrael in a blood driven rage, but the biggest change in the Reaper was the fact that his ENTIRE BODY was covered in AZURE LIGHTNING.

This lightning crackled against Ragna's skin with raw undisputed energy, energy with only one purpose; KILLING THE MAD DOG.

"AZRAEL!" Ragna shouted as he rushed towards his prey; not even slowing as he picked up his sword.

"Enchant Dragunov Level THREE Released!" Azrael shouted as his limiter fell. "Even you can't-!"

Ragna smashed his fist into Azrael and sent him flying into the wall. "TAKE THIS!" He shouted as a column of the lighting blasted out of his palm and struck the Mad Dog.

Azrael ran out of the blast zone and barreled toward the Reaper. "YOU ARROGANT WEAKLING!" he shouted as unleashed a vicious haymaker on Ragna. The Reaper blocked the attack with sword before pushing Azrael off balance and cutting into him with his lightning covered blade. Azrael grunted as the sword drew blood.

"DAMN YOU!" he shouted before blasting Ragna back with his fist. Ragna again blocked the attack, but he was still sent flying. The Reaper back flipped in mid-air and landed on his feet.

"Now you'll see my FULL power!" Azrael shouted as the ground around him began to crack. "FINAL DRAGUNOV, ALL LIMITS RELEASED!" The ground was now in pieces as Azrael lunged forward at Ragna.

Ragna barely managed to get out of the way of Azrael's original attack, but then the Mad Dog stuck the ground and a pillar of earth emerged between the two.

"What the-!"

Azrael smashed his fist through the pillar and grabbed the Reaper. "DIE!" he shouted as he slammed his fist into Ragna's gut sending him into the air. Before Ragna could land, Azrael smashed his fist into Ragna once more and sent him flying into the wall.

Ragna was about to fall from impact, but Azrael charged him and slammed his fist into the Reaper's gut. Ragna was in bad shape; his clothes were nearly in tatters and he was bleeding profusely. "YOU REALLY CAN"T DO ANYTHING! I WONDER; HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU NEED TO BE SAVED BEFORE THIS!?"

A single image flashed through Ragna's mind, the death of the Murakumo unit Lambda eleven in Kagutsuchi. Someone who had died because he hadn't been strong enough, he couldn't beat anyone without help, he couldn't-

" **SCREW THAT!** " Ragna shouted as he blasted Azrael back with lightning hitting the Mad Dog right in the face. Azrael screamed in pain as the vicious lightning struck his eyes. Ragna then ran at the Mad Dog and struck him across the chest with Blood-Scythe causing a deep wound. Ragna then flanked Azrael as he blasted him in the back. Azrael grunted in pain before swiping aside with another haymaker. Ragna was sent flying back, but managed to land on his feet.

" **CARNAGE-!** " Ragna shouted as his body became covered in black lightning which struck and rushed forward severely cutting Azrael against the chest once more. " **-SCISSORS!** " he finished the attack move by sending out a massive storm of _Soul Eater_ and black lighting.

Azrael struggled to make his way to his feet, but managed to do so before instantly appearing in front of Ragna to smash him into the ground. " **DIEEEEEEEEEE!** "

Ragna dodged the attack by crouching before using an azure lighting covered first to uppercut Azrael sending him fifty feet in the air in an explosion of electricity.

"WHAT!? NO!" Azrael shouted as he began to fall. That was before he looked and saw that Ragna had actually managed to leap above him. His blade was drawn in Scythe form and was reflecting against the sunlight and crackling with black lightning.

It was in that instant that Azrael had his first taste of a foreign emotion. Something he'd caused more than plenty of, but didn't expect to feel himself, or have it be caused by anyone, let alone one man… fear.

"I **T"S OVER**!" Ragna shouted as he swung the Black Beast Head covered Blood-Scythe and seemed to pass through Azrael. Ragna landed on the ground before the Mad Dog did. Then Azrael fell… both vertical halves of the severed monster; the look of agony was apparent on both halves of the face. Ragna turned and vaporized Azrael's remains with one final blast of azure lightning.

(End Song)

The stadium had been emptied long ago, now there was mostly ruble. Ragna was throbbing in pain all over his body, his lightning aura now gone. He wanted to do nothing more than pass out on the ground and be done with it, but then he remembered.

"Oh shit! Bullet!" With that, the Reaper ran out of the stadium as fast as his legs could carry him. ' _Please be alright! Please be alright! PLEASE!'_

*NOL Branch*

Ragna barreled through the front doors of the NOL branch. Kagura was there preparing a group of men to go after Azrael, so he was surprised to see the Reaper there.

"Ragna, what the hell are you doing here!? What happened to Azrael!?"

"Where's Bullet!?" Ragna demanded, grabbing Kagura's shirt collar.

"She's alive. She's in a coma, but she's alive. We already have her in a medical support system. She's stable Ragna." The Reaper let out a breath of relief as he let go. "What I'm worried about right now is you! You look like you just came from hell! What happened?"

"He dead, it's over."

"What!? How!?" Kagura demanded.

Ragna shook his head. "I'll tell you later; I'm going to see Bullet."

* * *

*Medical Room*

(Cue Kingdom Hearts _Aqua's Theme_ )

Bullet was laying on a hospital bed, her mouth covered by a nozzle for a breathing system, her arm hooked up to an IV bag. Her wounds didn't look as bad right now, Celica had used her healing magic on her, but her most of her body was sill covered in bandages.

As Ragna entered the room he smell the unmistakable odor of roses behind him.

"Ragna," Rachel began. "Before you start to mope, remember this is not your faul-"

"Not now, Rabbit," Ragna barked harshly. Rachel seemed to be taken aback more so than usual at Ragna's words. "Look, I'm sorry, but please just give me a moment."

"Very well then," Rachel agreed. "But do shower and change your clothes soon. You aren't doing her any favors visiting like that."

Ragna simply nodded. Rachel took this as the best she could get out of the man right now and left. Ragna pulled up a chair next to Bullet's bed and sat upon it. He moved her hair over to the side and saw that her eyes weren't in pain, just closed, almost as if she was sleeping. He then looked at Bullet's hand before softly grabbing it in his own.

"I'm so sorry," he said, though he knew his friend couldn't hear him. "But I got him. I got him for you, you don't need to worry about revenge anymore." Still no response. "I know you can't hear me, but I need to say this. Nothing like this is going to happen ever again. I'm going to get stronger, strong enough to stand up to anything and protect the people I care about."

Ragna let go of her hand, got up, and opened the door to leave, but not before leaving some final words.

"…And I'll do it all for you."

 **End of Arc 1**

 **Author's Note: I don't own BlazBlue or the accompanying music.**

 **I… Sorry, I got something in my eye. Well, I honestly was imagining something a little better, but I think it still came out alright. Well, ol' Ragna's defied the odds yet again, this time by learning lightning magic. And if you don't understand how this is possible, I'll get into that next chapter.**

 **I know that Azrael had his fair share of fans, but this is an important event for the story, so sorry if I killed your favorite character. I just wanted someone who could push Ragna enough besides Terumi and Azrael seemed like the perfect candidate.**

 **To everyone, thank you so much for the continued support of publishing my fanfiction. You've all been so supportive and it makes me glad that I've started writing. Be sure to review and I'll see you next time.**

 **Storm VII, signing off.**

 **Ciao.**

Next Arc: Rebellion


	7. After the Battle

**Arc Two** : Rebellion

 _Chapter VII: After the Battle_

 _'Why… why does everything hurt?'_ Bullet thought as she struggled to regain consciousness. She slowly opened her eyes, which were blinded by the lights from the room. She grunted at the brightness as her eyes started to adjust.

"Bullet? Bullet, are you back?" came the voice from a shadow that covered her from the light from a moment. She recognized the voice.

"Ragna…" Bullet said as she tried to move her head off the pillow, before realizing she was wearing an assisted breathing nozzle. After a slightly strained effort, she managed to make her way up slowly removed the device. "How long have I been out?"

"Since last night," Ragna said calmly. His wounds had healed and he'd sewn up all of his clothing. "Kagura got you out of the arena, and Celica managed to hell up your wounds, and I… well how are you feeling?"

"You what?" Bullet asked suspiciously, she could always tell when Ragna was trying to hide something, not that he ever could from her. "Come on, what happened?"

Ragna looked away, not able to meet Bullet's eyes. "I'll tell you later… For right now can you stand? Celica said you should be back up to full, but I don't want you to push yourself."

"Let's see," Bullet said as she undid her IV cord and slowly stood. It took a bit of effort, and her entire body felt like pins and needles, but she managed to stand. "I'll be fine," she told Ragna stubbornly.

"If you're sure," Ragna said as he opened the door. "Just let me know if that changes."

"What, are you going to carry me back if I need you to," Bullet said with a smirk. Ragna didn't answer her right away. "What no laughter?"

Ragna shook his head. "Sorry, I was thinking about something, what were you saying?"

"It's nothing," Bullet told him. "Though you seem kind of out of it."

"I'm fine," Ragna attested. "Let's get some food, it's almost lunch time and you haven't eaten anything since eating breakfast yesterday."

"You want to make something together?" Bullet asked. "We did pretty well with that stew a few nights ago. How about it?"

Ragna shook his head. "I'll make it this time, you're still on recovery."

"But-!"

"Doctors orders," Ragna said as he crossed his arms and glared at her firmly. "Don't worry I'll make some chicken soup or something."

"Fine," Bullet relented.

Inside the kitchen they saw Noel and Makoto there, talking with each other, they noticed Bullet enter the room with Ragna.

"Bullet!" Noel exclaimed. "You're up! You had us pretty worried there, you didn't look too good when Kagura brought you back."

"Well, I'm fine now," Bullet assured the squirrel Beastkin. "How did your mission in getting your friend back go?"

Makoto gave a big grin. "It went well, better than well actually."

* _Flashback*_

 _"Jin…" Tsubaki said as she regarded her childhood friend as she knelt on the ground in her Izayoi armor._

 _"Welcome back Tsubaki," Jin said as he slowly knelt to her eye level. After he did the two shifted uncomfortably given their close proximity._

 _Makoto, being the friend she was to Tsubaki, decided that this was a very emotional moment for the two and that eventually this would cause the two realize their feelings and-_

 _SCREW PATIENCE! "KISS HER YOU BLOCKHEAD!" she shouted._

 _After her little rant she noticed that she had caused Jin to shakenly fall forward… accidently smashing his lips right into Tsubaki's. The shock was evident in both of their eyes at first, but then Tsubaki slowly closed hers and wrapped her arms around Jin in pure bliss. The Ex-Major was hesitant at first, but then returned the embrace._

 _"Mission Two Accomplished," Makoto said cheerfully. That was before she noticed her other friend. "Crap… I think I broke Noel."_

 _*End of Flashback*_

"So my little twit of a brother finally managed to find himself a girlfriend. Good for him," Ragna said as he began boiling noodles after Makoto finished telling her story.

"Yep, I'm happy this turned out well for them," Noel said with a smile on her face. "But, Ragna? The arena was almost completely destroyed when we went inside, what happened there?"

Ragna didn't answer her right away as he continued to stir the soup and add seasoning. "I'll tell you later, when we're all organized."

"Hey everyone!" came a cheerful shout. The group turned and saw Celica enter the room. "What's going on?"

"Making lunch for me and Bullet," Ragna said as he continued to stir.

"Thank you for healing me Celica," Bullet said to the red haired youth.

"You're welcome, I'm glad that you're alright because of it. Huh? Ragna, how are you using your right eye and arm? I thought you couldn't use it without Seither."

"A new trick I learned," Ragna said simply as he added the main contents of the soup to the pot. "But like I've had to say ten freaking times already, that's for later when we talk to Kokonoe."

"Talk now, I'm already here," Kokonoe demanded as she stepped inside with Kagura, Rachel, Hibiki, Tsubaki, and Jin. Tsubaki, the ex-member of the Zero Squadron glared at Ragna, she might've changed sides, but that did mean she saw the reaper as her ally. "Ragna, I've asked you too many times for an explanation at what happened in the Arena, but you kept telling me you'd only talk when Bullet was up. Well she's up, NOW SPILL IT!"

Ragna sighed as gave the soup another stir and set the timer. "All right, but stand back, I need some room for this." He focused his energy to his left arm. It had taken some practice after he was able to do it the first time, but he could now bring out the azure lightning at will.

"So you learned a lightning Ars," Kagura said unimpressed. "Big whoop. So this little spark show is what exactly?"

Kokonoe on the other was staring wide eyed at what Ragna had just done. "But, that's impossible! You can't even use Ars Magus! How the hell can you use magic!?"

Now Kagura was eating his words. "Wait magic? As in the ORIGINAL form of Ars Magus? But I thought that was impossible to master except for a select few. How the heck did Ragna of all people manage to do it?"

"You people really don't put any faith in me, do you?" Ragna said emotionlessly as he returned to stirring the soup. "I learned it from those books that I borrowed from Kokonoe. Apparently they were manuals that the great sage 'Nine' wrote a long time ago. It had a few entries in there about how to harness energy that your body produces and turn it into magic. It was a pain to master, but I managed to get it down after a while."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you can use magic. Magic comes from a body source that we've identified as Mana. Only a selected few have the ability to produce Mana, and even if you can the chances of using it are slim. It's more than likely that even if you can produce Mana, you still won't be able to have the aptitude to use it as magic."

"Really," Ragna said as he left the soup for a moment. "Is it possible for Ars Magus to be powered by Mana?"

"What do you think Seither had in it?" Kokonoe asked like it was obvious. "When my mother created Ars Magus years ago, she came up with the perfect plan. Create the weapons to function in order to absorb Seither, convert it to as much Mana as it could, and produce magic-like powers from that."

"Then that means that my body can produce Mana, something that Celica can't absorb, power my BlazBlue as well as giving me magic abilities…"

"When were you first able to activate magic anyways?" Kokonoe asked. "This seems pretty sudden to just show up and not you have anything to say about it."

Ragna sighed, this was something he couldn't hide any longer. "It activated during my fight with Azrael, right when Kagura left with Bullet. I don't know what the hell happened, suddenly I'm completely covered in lightning."

"Then what happened?" Bullet asked.

Ragna didn't look at anyone. "Then I managed to kill Azrael, and once I was through with him, I destroyed his corpse."

Bullet's eyes grew wide. Ragna had managed to take down that monster? She had seen Ragna fight before, but this was impossible for their standards.

"You were lucky then," Kokonoe said as she leaned against the wall. "I heard that he has an ability known as the **'Enchant Dragunov**.' Apparently it allows him to take his limiters off and face his opponents at a higher strength. "

"I think he might've said something like that," Ragna admitted. "He might've also said Final Dragunov, but I'm not sure what that would…" He noticed everyone giving him a strange look. "What?"

"Are. You. Freaking kidding me!" Kokonoe shouted at the reaper. "He only says that when he goes to MAX power, if you were able to take him down during that phase, it would mean you could be stronger than everyone in this room put together!"

"Come on," Ragna said. "Kagura and I were the back-up plan. He couldn't take on both of us, right?"

Kokonoe grabbed her head in annoyance. "Ragna… ARE YOU F# KING SERIOUS!? You saw how powerful Azrael was, why do you think you could've taken him down with Kagura. After my teleportation field failed I thought that was it."

"Oh, well… good thing I killed him then," Ragna said as he scratched the back of his head. "But now that we're done with Azrael, where do we go from here? I'm assuming we need to grab the Lynchpin. Then we'll move on the Imperator, and that bastard Terumi… I've been waiting to settle things with him."

"Yeah," Kagura admitted. "That's definitely on the list, but for now, I'd think it be best if we laid low for a couple of days. Otherwise we'd be walking right into a trap."

 ** _Ding!_** The timer rang. Ragna grabbed the pot off the stove and turned the utensil off. "And on that happy note, I'm having lunch, c'mon Bullet."

"What?" Kagura said hurtfully. "Didn't you make enough for everyone?"

"Nope, just enough for me and her," Ragna said seriously as he dished up the soup.

"Never considering others," Rachel said, speaking for the first time since she'd arrived. "I suppose that's something we've all come to expect from Ragna."

"Don't say that about him!" Bullet shouted at the Vampire. "He's the only one out of all you with some guts to stand up impossible odds and you just insult him!?"

Rachel looked at Bullet with some confusion at first, but then allowed herself a small smile. "It was only a jest," she said in a soft tone. "But apparently we've found some to retort to quirks at Ragna even quicker than he is… I wonder what this could mean."

Bullet narrowed her eyes. "What are you-?"

"Just ignore her," Ragna said as he carried the bowls of soup to the dining hall. "She's always been a cryptic goth."

"I guess so," Bullet said as she sat down. "I guess we're done with all of my revenge problems."

"Yeah," Ragna said as he sat down himself. "But hey, now you don't need to worry about getting the drop on anyone."

"Anyone except for this Terumi person. You solved my problems, I'm going to help you with yours."

"Damn it Bullet, I killed Azrael so you wouldn't have to worry about revenge, not so that you'd just find another target to kill! Terumi's my problem, not yours. I'm not going to let yourself get killed right in front of me… I've already had to endure that too many times."

"Then I'll prove to you that I'm ready for it. Starting tomorrow, I want to spar you every chance I get."

"Wha-?" Ragna exclaimed surprised. "Bullet you just came off what was literally your death bed until a couple of hours ago! You're not ready to fight yet!"

"Then go easy on me for the first few rounds," Bullet said before sipping her soup. "I'll prove to you what happens when you underestimate me!"

"Fine," Ragna sighed. "At least it's not like we're going to be dancing with each other like we did in the past."

Bullet immediately gave Ragna a glare full of hatred. "YOU-!"

*Flash Back*

Ragna and Jubei had been with Grey Markesan and the rest of his mercenaries for about a week now. During that time Ragna had sparred with each of the mercs, and had learned a lot about each of their different styles of fighting. In the end, he'd been able to beat all of them in combat after a few tries, except for Grey. That man had been leagues above Ragna, he couldn't even get a solid punch on the man.

But most of the time he sparred he'd done it with Bullet. The two had entered a heated rivalry and turned it into the ultimate contest between the two. Currently, the record was at 35-34-42 at Ragna's favor.

The two had just finished their coming back from grabbing water from the river when they saw the last thing they'd expected to; Jubei, Grey and his Mercenaries, all of them **_dancing_**.

Standing in the center of them was a man in a pink kimono and purple hair set in a bizarre style. "Come on, I thought you people were supposed to be the best of the bunch. Ugh, you're a sorry excuse for a troop!"

Bullet dropped the bucket she'd been carrying and was about to charge the oddly dressed man, but Ragna held her back. "Let me go I'll murder him! Murder him!"

"Bullet, get a hold of yourself. He's just having them dance!"

"But can you see how demeaning that is!" she yelled to her childhood friend. "They look like fools!"

"Bullet, I'm sure that there's a reason that they're doing it. Why don't we try observing from a safe distance and see what it is."

"What are we hiding from?" Bullet questioned.

"Dancing ourselves of course; I'm not about to get involved in whatever that is."

And so, Bullet and Ragna found themselves sneaking along the outside of the encampment. Bullet crouched beneath a supply crate, if she could just find an opening…

She then heard laughter on the supply crate she was hiding behind.

"Quite the dance you have going there master!" Ragna shouted continuing to laugh.

As Bullet climbed on top of the crate, she heard Jubei's growls directed at his apprentice. The Mercenary-in-training glared at Ragna. "What are you doing?"

"Having the most laughs I've had in a long time. Pwa ha ha ha ha ha! Look at Chef; I think he's trying to recreate the disco or something."

"Isn't this cruel to be mocking them like this? I'd think-… I-I-Is that Kevin over there trying to do Charleston!?"

Bullet tried her hardest to keep a straight face, she really did, but failed miserably when she saw all of her company dancing like idiots. For the next twenty minutes she and Ragna watched the mercenaries make fools of themselves. More than once they received the stink eye from the mercenaries.

"No, no, no!" the man in purple exclaimed, the annoyance clear on his face. "You idiots clearly don't know what I'm talking about. Cease this rubbish that you fools call dancing!" The mercenaries complied only too quickly. "Of this won't do at all. Now what can I do to put me in a better mood, hm?" It was then that the man noticed Bullet and Ragna sitting on the crate laughing. "Oh, such young bonds of friendship, this could lead to the dance synchronization I've been looking for. Oh, you two!"

Ragna and Bullet immediately stopped their laughing when they were addressed. Immediately the other mercenaries and Jubei got a wicked sneer on their faces, payback would be sweet.

"I need you two to perform a good dance for me. I know, a romantic salsa sounds like just the thing we need for you two!"

"Romantic!?" Ragna started.

"Salsa!?" Bullet finished.

With this the onlookers howled with laughter. Bullet glared at Ragna as if to say 'This was your idea!"

"Now wait a damn minute!" Ragna protested. "I don't-!"

"I think it'll be a great idea for you and Bullet," Grey said with a sneer. "Who knows, this could help your teamwork in a fight."

"Well I won't-"

"You ain't got a choice kid," Jubei said with a smile on his face.

"Now the thing about the Salsa is movement, you need to feel the flow of this dance. Oh, and I should mention that you'll constantly be in close proximity with your dance partner."

Ragna audibly gulped. "How close are we-?"

"Second Base," the man said simply.

"Dammit."

While Ragna and Bullet went through the dance routine with each other, blushing all the while at their closeness with one another, the others had their sweet, sweet revenge.

"Hey Ragna!" Kevin shouted. "Keep your eyes focus on your partner not the ground!"

"Come on Bullet," Chef joined in. "Try showing the right flow, I don't feel the love just yet!"

"Try not to get too close to Bullet, Ragna," Grey teased. "You might just-!"

Ironically, it was then that Ragna screwed up with his footwork and slipped, causing Bullet to lurch forward… right into his lips. Ragna quickly let go of Bullet and was about to apologize.

"Oh my!" The purple hair man exclaimed. "Such ROMANCE, Such PASSION, Such ELE-!"

"RAGNA! I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD!" Bullet shouted as she chased her 'friend' as Ragna proceeded to run for dear life. "GET BACK HERE YOU COWARD!"

Several mercenaries made catcalls and high pitched whistles towards the two. Jubei just smiled, but Ragna passed by, he had to ask: "So Ragna, how was it?"

"You people are sadistic!" Ragna shouted.

"YOU'RE MINE!" Bullet screamed as she caught Ragna in a diving tackle. The young fool's screams could be heard in the next Hierarchal City, over seventy miles away.

*End Flash Back*

"We agreed to never speak of it!" Bullet accused Ragna. "Are you trying to make me kill you!?"

"What?" Ragna shrugged. "Haven't you moved on by now? I would think-"

SPLOSH! Ragna's homemade soup that he'd slaved so hard to make, was thrown in his face by Bullet. The mercenary got up in a huff as she left the dining hall.

After she left Ragna grunted as he picked the soup bits out of his hair. "Women… I still don't get 'em."

 **Author's Note: I don't own BlazBlue.**

 **The end of another tie in chapter, but I like the way this one turned out. What did you think of Ragna and Bullet's past of dancing with each other? Anyways, rate and review.**

 **Ciao.**


	8. Mornings

**Authors Note: This chapters a shorter one, but with early midterms give me a break. Think of it as sort of a one shot, anyways I hope you enjoy.**

 _Chapter VIII: Mornings_

Kagura yawned to himself as he made his way to the top level balcony and tried to nurse last night's hangover. If he didn't have a hot girl or Hibiki with him to keep a set of eyes on the alcohol he consumed (each doing so in different ways) he tended to lose himself to how much liquor he was consuming.

 _'A breath of fresh air, a cold bottle of water, then I'll grab a couple more Z's. Then I'll be back to full in no time.'_ As he opened the door, he heard sounds of fighting. Slightly puzzled he looked down and saw Ragna sparring with Bullet. _'What are those two doing? Jeeze, I'm starting to think this is a lover's quarrel.'_

"Looking for something?" a cold voice said from beside him. Jin Kisaragi leaned back against the wall, Yukianesa firmly gripped in his left hand. "After all that alcohol you drank last night, I'm surprised you managed to wake up before noon."

"Your fault for not making sure I overdrank. Come on we just got Tsubaki back and you're dating her, surly that deserves a bottle or two of sake?"

"I can't stand the taste of sake, besides Tsubaki and I aren't even dating yet, despite what you, Makoto and that garbage think."

"Hey, you're being a little harsh to Noel aren't you?" Kagura told his a he leaned on the railing. "She helped you get Tsubaki back didn't she? Anyways, why are you out here so early in the morning, watching the flowers bloom?"

"What are you talking about?" Jin asked, instantly regretting giving Kagura the chance to explain himself.

"Well seeing as we have two gardeners down below planting the seeds of a beautiful start to something, I can only assume that it's going to bloom into a strong yet strange relationship. Then those two flowers will be pollinated by the bee of-"

"Duck," Jin interrupted as he opened the door to make his way back inside.

"Hey don't interrupt my speech of love blooming. And what do you mean by duAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" That last part was screamed by Kagura as he experienced the shock of lightning, electrocuting his entire body.

"My brother heard you, that's what," Jin said as he made his way inside and closed the door.

"Quit your snide commentary you pervert!" Ragna yelled from below. "We're trying to train here!"

"Why me?" Kagura gasped as he laid on the ground, completely floored his eyes now swirls.

Down below Ragna groaned under his breath. _'Great, now a drunk, womanizing lunatic thinks I'm dating Bullet, great way to start the day.'_

"Okay, why did you electrocute Kagura?" Bullet asked him.

"Because it's Kagura," Ragna said simply. There was a whimper from the upper balcony that Bullet couldn't quite make out. "IT'S NOT THE TRUTH DAMN IT!"

"What's he saying that's got you so riled up?" Bullet asked.

"Another perverted idea of his," Ragna said bluntly. "Anyways we're done for today, later Bullet."

"I can still keep going!" she attested.

"We've been training for hours Bullet, and you just healed yesterday. Give it a rest."

"Fine," she said glaring at Ragna. "I'll train on my own, see you around Reaper."

Ragna shrugged it off as he made his way back inside. _'What's her problem? I help her get stronger and I only get yelled at by her. No point in worrying about it… I want pancakes.'_

With that last, somewhat out of place thought Ragna headed towards the kitchen. Inside he saw that it was currently emptied, the perfect chance to whip something up for himself. He took off his coat and put on a white apron and brought out the ingredients for pancakes. After whisking the ingredients, pouring the batter into the pan, making whipped cream, cutting the fruit to put on top, stacking the pancakes, applying the syrup, he had a complete plate of his current craving.

 _'So worth the trouble'_ he thought while he sat down in the dining hall before cutting himself a bite to eat. ' _Now to dig in and-'_

"Ragna the BloodEdge," came a woman's cold, dead, voice.

Ragna slowly turned towards the one who voiced it, his fork mere inches from his mouth. Standing in front of him was Tsubaki Yayoi. Her dull grey eyes trained on the Reaper in rage, as she griped her sword. "I've been looking for you, Reaper."

"Uh… hi?" Ragna said unsurely. "You, uh needed something?"

"I WANT YOUR HEAD!" Tsubaki yelled as she ran at the reaper. Ragna dropped his fork on his plate as he blocked her sword swing with Blood-Scythe.

"Hey! Hey! Don't fight here! You'll kill my pancakes!" Ragna yelled as he got up and proceeded to run out of the room, being followed by the redhead.

"COME BACK HERE AND FACE ME COWARD!"

"JIN WHERE ARE YOU!? YOUR GIRLFRIEND'S TRYING TO KILL ME!?"

"Tsubaki!" Jin yelled. "I told you we'd kill him together! What are you doing getting an early start?"

"WHY MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!?" Ragna cried about the world cruelty.

*Time Skip*

It had taken Ragna all of ten minutes to knock out his crazy brother and said brother's bloodthirsty girlfriend. _'Damn it that was annoying! Oh well, now I can go back to enjoying the breakfast I slaved so hard to…'_

As Ragna walked back into the dining hall, he was greeted by the sight of a breakfast plate. HIS breakfast plate. His EMPTY breakfast plate. "All right WHO THE HELL ATE MY PANCAKES!?"

It was then that Bullet walked past him, dapping a napkin across her mouth as if she'd just eaten, crumbs covering her cheeks. "Thanks for breakfast," she said as she walked past Ragna.

 _'…did she just…'_ Now normally Ragna would go on a blood driven rampage would have made the Black Beast itself eat its own heart out, but with Bullet he'd come to accept things like these. _'Damn, now I need to make myself another batch of pancakes… this sucks.'_

And that is how Ragna came to hate mornings.

 **Authors Note: I don't own BlazBlue, like I said, short but sweet.**

 **Leave a review to let me know what you thought.**

 **Ciao.**


	9. Flames Lit Anew

_Chapter IX: Flames Lit Anew_

"You cannot be serious!" Kokonoe yelled at Ragna. "I knew you were thick headed, but now you're just being impossible!

It was only an hour after Ragna had had made himself his second batch of pancakes, topped with whipped cream, powdered sugar, sliced fruit, and maple syrup… only to have them swiped by Taokaka before he could enjoy the first bite. He'd chased that damned cat from one end of the NOL branch to the other one until he finally caught her. It didn't make a damned difference because she'd just eaten his newest creation right in front of him. In the end he'd given up on making himself a decent breakfast and decided to settle for having instant oatmeal.

Currently he was in the lower levels of Kokonoe's lab, talking with the scientist as she worked on planning their next move to strike against the imperator. Kokonoe didn't look **too** busy, so Ragna decided to ask the Grimalkin for a favor… big mistake.

"I was just asking if you had anymore tomes! What, am I asking to borrow some important family artifact, 'cause you sure as hell didn't mind the first time!"

"Ragna, those things are precious! Even having an entire set like I had is worth close to half of your bounty! Those books were the only ones I had and you want to learn MORE magic?"

"What? You know about how it was able to one up Azrael; more magic, more power, Terumi goes down that much quicker." Ragna didn't even know what the deal with Kokonoe was, he was on her side for damn sake.

Kokonoe shook her head. "First, I'm the one taking down Terumi, so don't you forget it. Second, I don't have any more of those so how does that work with your plan?"

Ragna scoffed. "Simple, I'll learn the technique on my own, I don't need those lousy books anyways."

Kokonoe gritted her teeth in disgust. "If you think it's that easy my mother wouldn't have had to create Ars Magus, would she? You're just being unreasonable you idiot!"

"When have you ever known me to be reasonable?" Ragna asked sarcastically. "Fine, if you won't help me I'll do it on my own."

Ragna was about to make his way out of the lab when an idea formed in the half-beast's mind. She could profit off of this. "If you're going to be so snide about it dumbass how about putting your money where your mouth is?"

"You have my attention," Ragna said as he stopped and turned to face the scientist. "What did you have in mind?"

"How about this? If you progress your magic far enough, say learn a new element you can apply to combat, in the next five days I'll pay for you and a date of your choice to eat at the most expensive restaurant in Ikaruga!"

"Deal!" Ragna shouted without hesitation, thinking back to the crummy breakfast he had to suffer even with the hard work he put into those pancakes. The best food imaginable this side of the world, he wasn't going to turn down a chance for this! That was before he realized the other part of the deal. "Wait, what does dating have to do with this?"

"You didn't let me finish my conditions, but you already agreed. Pretty dumbass move, even for you! If I'm not satisfied then you have to be my butler for a full WEEK." Most people would think that the grin on Kokonoe's face was almost sadistic, but Ragna knew better; it was demonic.

"Oh HELL NO!" he shouted so loud that he managed to get Tager's attention from two rooms over. "The deals off Kokonoe I ain't-!"

Kokonoe chuckled to herself. "And here I thought you actually had the balls to dance. I knew you couldn't walk the walk, all you do is bark!" Kokonoe turned her back on the Reaper. "Piss off, I've got work to take care of."

Ragna snarled in disgust, he was pissed of getting insulted like this by everyone, made out like he was some bitch of fate and nothing more. This was the last straw for this Reaper. "Double or Nothing!"

Every now and again Ragna would say or do something to take Kokonoe by surprise, this was definitely one of those times. "Excuse me?"

"Give me FOUR days and I'll have another form of magic completely mastered! If I don't, I'll be your damned man-servant for two weeks! But if I win you have to pay for two occasions! Got it?!"

Kokonoe smirked, she hadn't intended for it to go like this, but Ragna had fallen, hook, line, and especially sinker. "All right then, go. Go prove to me that you can do it. You only have four days, now, unless you want the Imperator to laugh herself to death from looking at you in a butler outfit."

"Tch, fine," Ragna relented as he made his way back to the outside. "I guess I'll get started, and for the record I could totally rock a tailcoat you know. Not that you'll ever see me in one."

After the Grim Reaper had left, Kokonoe smirked to herself. "What an idiotic asshole."

As Ragna was riding the elevator back up to the surface level he considered his options for learning magic. _'Let's see, what element should I try to go for? I could try Ice magic, but…'_ his thoughts momentarily shifted to his insane brother. _'Let's not go there if I don't have to. I could try wind, but how would I use it? As an offense, as some sort of aura to dodge attacks? Ah, if I don't have any idea what I'm going to do with it I should pick something else. That leaves fire… That seems more like Bullet's thing, but I could see it working, I don't know what else to do.'_

The elevator doors opened, revealing Kagura Mutsuki, the last person Ragna wanted to see at the moment. "Hey Ragna, you got a second?"

"Not for you," Ragna said rudely as he shoved his way past. "I've got things to do Kagura and I don't need you pissin' me off."

"Woah, quite the hostile force aren't we? Anyways I'll try not to piss you off, just wanted to let you know something important."

"If it's coming from you I can already imagine what it could be. You just managed to install a camera in the girls shower room."

"Woah, woah, woah, that isn't cool Ragna," Kagura said looking genuinely hurt. "I still have standards you know. But anyways, guess who isn't the world's most wanted man in the world anymore."

That caught Ragna off guard. "Wait, someone came up with a bounty to beat mine? Who the hell was it?"

"Wrong idea," Kagura told him. "Turns out I managed to remove your entire bounty off the NOL! You're a free man now!"

"Wait, what!? How the hell did you pull that off?"

Kagura gave the Reaper his signature grin, he was loving every second of surprising Ragna. "I just had a press conference with the biggest news networks on the planet! I called you my very own sleeper agent, you've been working with me this whole time to catch the real criminal behind the attacks, even willing to play the role as the scapegoat and take the fall for person who did it, just to lure him out of hiding."

Ragna sighed, this was insane, even for his standards. "That's cool and all Kagura, but that just means that someone else has to take the fall for what I've been doing. I don't want that penalty on anyone else."

"Yeah, well you don't need to worry about it. I already pinned it on a dead man and used it to prove your innocence even further."

"Pinned it on a dead man? Wait, you mean you're blaming Azrael for this!?"

"He had it coming you know, plus who else could managed to knock out all of those branches? Face it Ragna, you're a hero and the people love you!" Ragna said nothing, just stared at the floor thinking. "Something wrong?"

"I know Azrael was a major prick and a menace to boot, but it still doesn't seem right. I'm the one responsible for all of those deaths, it should be my burden to bare. Plus, I'm no hero."

Kagura stared at the man in awe for a moment before giving his classic smug grin. "That just proves that you are the hero here. Look, I already said what I could and I can't go back on my word. Besides the whole world's heard about it. They'll even take my word over the Imperators."

"Now you're pushing it, but thanks I guess… this isn't all some big prank you're pulling on me is it?" Kagura shook his head in response. "I'll take your word for it for now, I got shit to take care of."

"Mind if I ask you something?" Kagura requested. Ragna shrugged. "Why have you been so obsessed on getting stronger lately? You're already strong enough to have taken Azrael down at full power, what else do you need?"

"I need my friends safe, that's what," Ragna said darkly. "See you Kagura."

Kagura leaned against the wall as his ally left. _'You're getting stronger to protect the people you care about and refuse to known as a hero. Makes me wonder why Ragna's the one who has to put up with the worlds cruelty… poor guy.'_

*Time Skip*

Ragna had been training outside for over two hours now and he was making exactly zero progress. If he tried to alter his current of mana to magic too much he experience a serious backlash, and if he didn't alter it enough he was just stuck with uncontrolled lightning. _'I have four days to get this done, so let's keep going. Damn I wish there was an easier way to do this.'_

Ragna decided to give it a rest for the moment and sat down with a water bottle. The tomes he'd used earlier had taught him how to go from mana straight to lightning magic, now he had the mana, but no way to turn it into fire. _'Great, now what do I do, I'll look like firkin Valkenhayn for two weeks if I don't pull this off! Bullet'll never let me live this down! She'll… wait, Bullet. THAT'S IT!'_

Ragna made his way to Bullet's room and stood outside the door. "Not sure if this is going to work, but let's hope it does." He knocked on the door. "Hey Bullet, you in here? Bullet, c'mon I need your help."

The door opened revealing the silver haired mercenary. She was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a pair of light blue jeans with a belt that was too long for the pants. "Really, what in the world could you need my help for? I thought you'd just keep running at a problem until something sticks."

"Ouch, that's kind of harsh isn't it? Besides you owe me!"

Bullet glared at Ragna before letting it fall. "You're right, you saved my life and here I am acting like a jerk. I'm sorry."

"Actually, I was referring to breakfast."

"Huh?" Bullet asked before Ragna pinched both sides of her face. "OW!"

"I just spent all morning making my favorite thing in this godforsaken world for breakfast and you come in and steal it when I'm off fighting my brother. Tao already figures that I'm her meal ticket, I don't need you thinking that too."

"But-! I-!" Bullet argued with Ragna still holding her cheeks. "Okay, I'm sorry! What the hell do you want?!"

"I need you to show me how you use your gauntlets."

"That's it?" Bullet asked unconvinced, still in Ragna's grip. "If that's all let me go and I'll show you!"

"Good answer," Ragna said as he let go. Bullet rubbed her sore cheeks, she'd get Ragna for that later. "Wait for me outside, I just need to grab them from my room." With that she slammed the door in his face.

 _'She seems pissed at me for no good reason, that time of the month?'_ Ragna thought to himself as he made his way outside. He didn't have to wait long as Bullet came out behind him. "All right, let's see it."

Bullet charged her gauntlets up with Ars Magus in front of Ragna, the Grim Reaper focused on what she was doing, trying to figure out a way that he could use this to his favor. _'Let's see,'_ Ragna thought as he tried copying her currency to his BlazBlue, his arm started to feel a bit warmer, so that was something. The Bullet fired the attack through her gauntlet and Ragna attempted to follow in suit. No result from it yet.

"Guess I'll have to practice if I want to turn this into magic."

"I figured that was what you were after," Bullet told him. "Can you at least tell me why you're so obsessed with getting stronger?"

"Terumi's still out there, I need to be ready for him, plus I had a bet with Kokonoe about learning another form of magic."

"Yeah, what are the conditions?"

Ragna started to say something before pausing. "I'll tell you after I win."

"Sure, be that way," Bullet said as she made her way back inside.

 _'She's pissed at me about something, maybe I'll make it up to her at dinner.'_

*Time Skip*

As it turned out Ragna wasn't there for dinner, or lunch for that matter… for three days. Kokonoe made her way outside because Tager had said something about her getting more fresh air. He could get on her nerves at times sure, but she knew that he meant well. Outside she saw Ragna fast asleep on the ground, his arms sprawled out like he'd been sleeping there all night.

"Dumbass," she said as she passed by him, today being the last day for him to prove himself. "Pfft, I wonder how he'll look in tails."

"You'll never know," she heard Ragna say behind her. And was it just her or was it getting warm out-OH SHIT! Columns of blue fire aren't supposed to emerge out of the BlazBlue… are they?

"Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me!" Kokonoe screamed.

"So about that dinner…" Ragna said smugly as he stopped the flames.

"You asshole! Fine! I'll set the arrangements for the _White Drake_ tonight for you and Bullet! I hope you choke!" she yelled at him as she stormed away.

"Wait, what does Bullet have to do with this?" Ragna asked.

"Who else could you go with without having them drive you insane?" Kokonoe asked as if it were obvious, which it kind of was.

"True enough," Ragna admitted as the Grimalkin left. He made his way to his feet, yawning. "Now I just need to find a way to ask Bullet out to dinner. How hard could it be?"

The Reaper made his way into the dining hall. Noel, Makoto, Celica, and Bullet were all inside. The first three were talking with each other while Bullet just listened to them and tried to stay interested. She noticed Ragna and scowled at him, turning her head to the other way. Unfortunately for her, the other girls took notice of this and Makoto and Celica grinned to each other as Ragna made his way over.

"Are you two fighting?" Makoto asked with a flirty tone, Ragna rolled his eyes.

"I don't know, are we?" Bullet said without interest.

Ragna sighed. "I was actually hoping to ask you something Bullet."

"I'm right here, ask," she said to him stubbornly.

 _'She's going to hate me for saying this in front of these two.'_ "Are you free tonight?"

That hadn't been what Bullet was expecting to hear. "I… guess? Why are you asking?"

"Look, I was wondering if you wanted to go out to dinner." He glared at the other three present daring them to say something. To his surprise they did their best to stay silent.

"Sure thing," she said shrugging, always willing to get a free meal out of her childhood friend. "Where were you thinking?"

"There's this restaurant into that's called the _White Drake,_ apparently it's supposed to be a big deal or something, was wondering if you were interested."

"Couldn't hurt," Bullet said to him. "All right, what time?"

"I'll have to ask Kokonoe about that. She's the one getting us the reservation since I won our bet. I'll let you know in a bit." Ragna let out a loud yawn. "I haven't slept decently for days, time to catch up on some Z's."

"Later," Bullet said, and Ragna made his way to his room. When she turned back to the girls they were staring at her with wide eyes. "What?"

"Oh my god Bullet, do you not realize what just happened?!" Makoto yelled. "Ragna just invited you to diner at the _White Drake,_ _THE WHITE DRAKE_! The waitlist for that place is usually for 5 years (not even kidding) and even some nobles can't afford to eat there! And Ragna's taking you!"

"So?" Bullet asked, still unconvinced. What was the big deal anyways? It was Ragna taking her, it's not like she was on a date or anything.

"Oh my god!" Makoto said as she grabbed Bullet arm with one hand and dialed up her cell phone with her other. "Hello? Rose's beauty salon? Cancel all of your other appointments for today! Code DRAKE! I repeat, Code DRAKE!" There was a small amount of murmuring on the other line. "Thanks! You're the best! We'll see you in an hour."

"Isn't this a bit excessive?" Bullet asked. "I mean it's just-?"

"No talk time!" Celica shouted. "What are your dress measurements?"

"How am I supposed to know? How could anyone have anyone's measurement memorized? It's not like anyone can tell from just a glance."

"Kagura!" Makoto yelled at the top of her lungs. "What are Bullet's measurements?"

*Meanwhile-Ragna's room*

Ragna was in his room snoring his head off. It was apparent he wouldn't wake up if he had to sleep through a war. He didn't wake up when a portal to another world opened in his room, he didn't wake up when and elderly man stepped through, and he certainly didn't wake up when said man left a tuxedo suit on the rooms' desk.

"Madam Rachel, why do you insist on spoiling this brat?" Valkenhayn said with a shake of his head as he left through the portal.

Ragna of course, was too out of it to wake up. He'd say that way for about four hours, when he awakened he let out a loud yawn. _'That felt good,'_ he thought to himself. _'Now then time to get ready for dinner… what's that suit on my desk._ '

Ragna made his way over to it, it was a classic and plain style, but the materials were hard to come by and it was already ironed. There was a note in the pocket that said the appointment was at 7. _'Kagura must be helping me out here, but this outfit looks like something the rabbit would have… whatever, I need to get going. First a shower, then I'll get dressed, and then head out.'_

After Ragna was done getting ready he made his way through the city. It felt weird to just walk a city without worrying about being seen. He did get a few dirty looks, but that was to be expected, he still didn't quite believe the news about changing sides either.

He made it to the _White Drake_ , somewhat early, only about fifteen minutes ahead of his dinner appointment. He decided to wait outside for Bullet to show up. It didn't take long as he heard footsteps approaching him.

"Well look who decided to show-"

The reason Ragna couldn't finish his sentence? He caught sight of Bullet. The mercenary was wearing a gorgeous white dress that managed to show off the curves of her body and showed off only a bit of her left leg. She had a light blue purse over her left shoulder with a simple metal zipper. She'd gotten a makeover, nothing too excessive, but enough to compliment and show off her beauty. It was Bullet all right, but to Ragna, she almost seemed to give off this unearthly glow.

 _'She's just here as your friend Ragna,'_ the Reaper scolded himself. _'Just remember that.'_

"Something wrong?" Bullet asked she was crimson faced herself, looking at sharply dressed Ragna.

"No, it's nothing. You look beautiful."

Bullet gave a deeper blush, she'd heard people call her that, among other things, but for some reason when Ragna said it, it actually sounded… genuine. _What do I say, wait why does it matter? We're just friends… aren't we?_ "Well you look very handsome," she decided.

"Uh, thanks," Ragna said, a little unsure of himself. "Wanna head in?" he asked, offering his arm.

Bullet hooked Ragna's arm in her own as the two went into the restaurant. The place was rather extravagant, matching the design of that of ancient Chinese garden with the architecture from that era. In the middle of the restaurant was a river with water lilies on it with a giant Sakura tree in the center.

Ragna and Bullet went up to the man at the front desk. "Ah, you must be our special invites for this evening," the man there said.

"Excuse me?" Ragna asked, confused by what he meant.

"Well Kagura Mutsuki called in earlier today telling us that someone how owed a favor to would be stopping by, I assume that you are the couple in question?"

Forcing down his increasing blush Ragna answered. "Yeah, that does sound like Kagura."

"Right this way then, I'm Juan and I'll be your waiter this evening" the man said, Bullet and Ragna the BloodEdge followed his lead. Along the way, they did hear various conversations.

"Is that Ragna the BloodEdge?"

"How'd he get in here? I thought this was the place for the dignified sort, not ex-criminals."

"Who's the woman he's with?"

"I'm pretty sure that's the girl that he saved from Azrael."

The two did their best to disregard this gossip as they sat down, Ragna of course pulling out Bullet's chair for her.

"I will be out with some bread and salad as appetizers. For tonight's wine we have a rare selection of Italian Red wine that was distilled fifty years ago, will that suffice for both of you?"

"Works for me," Ragna said, feeling more than a little out of place in his current situation. Bullet merely nodded in agreement.

"Then I'll be back with your appetizers in a moment, and please enjoy yourself tonight." Larry left for the kitchen to gather the food. The two sat there awkwardly at first, so Ragna decided to start a conversation.

"So, how have things been with the girls?"

"Fine I guess," Bullet said.

"Bullet…"

"All right, they completely overreacted when they heard I was going out. They brought me to this beauty salon which I guess was nice to go to for a change. But I have to admit, I feel a little vain."

"I honestly think you look great," Ragna said to her as he glanced over his shoulder. "I've been getting more death glares from men than I could count."

"So… over twenty?" Bullet said with a smirk.

"Ha, funny," Ragna said with a roll of his eyes, but he was betrayed by the smirk on his face. He grabbed his menu on the table and opened it. "Quite a few options they have hear, any idea's what you want?"

"Well if you know me," Bullet began.

"You'll get something spicy," Ragna finished. "Just try not to go overboard okay?"

Juan came back at that moment with their salads, bread, and wine. "Have we decided what we're going to be having tonight?"

"Uh, yeah, I'll be having the steak with the side of mashed potatoes," Ragna said.

"How would you like you're meat?" Juan asked.

"Medium please," Ragna said, trying to be politely.

"Very well, and you Madam?"

"I'll have the Red chicken curry," Bullet told him.

"How spicy would you like that?"

"Five stars," Bullet said with a grin.

"A-Are you sure madam?" Juan asked. "Our dishes are known to carry more spice than anywhere else you can find this dish."

"I'm sure," Bullet assured him. Ragna sighed to himself, it wasn't spicy to Bullet unless it was 10 stars at least.

"Very well than madam, I will be back shortly with your food."

As Juan made his way back to the kitchen, Ragna started to dig into his food. "Show off," he said to Bullet.

"Can't take the heat?" Bullet asked smirking. "I thought you were supposed to be used to fire now." She almost looked disappointed as she said that.

"Something wrong?" Ragna asked.

"It's nothing," Bullet assured him, but Ragna wasn't so sure.

 _'Now's not the place to press for it,'_ as he ate his salad.

*After Dinner*

The two left the restaurant and walked along Ikaruga's night line. They were on a city path that overlooked the entire city. They were alone here, it was much too late for anyone else to be out this late.

"Look Bullet, something's been bothering you for a while."

"Ragna, I'm fine. You're just imagining things."

"Don't give me that," Ragna said as he leaned on the ledge overlooking Ikaruga. "Bullet, what's going on?"

"I feel… betrayed," Bullet said. "You promised me that we'd be partners and work together, but now you're acting like you're trying to leave everyone else in the dust."

Ragna sighed. "That's because this is my fight Bullet. Look, I trust you as my partner, but in the end it's my job."

"Listen to you!" Bullet yelled at him. "Why do you think I wanted to start sparring with you in the first place!? This might be your burden to bear, but that doesn't mean that you need to do it alone!"

"Get real Bullet," Ragna said emotionlessly. "If there's one thing I know for certain, I'm not going to be alive by the end of this. I'm not taking anyone down with m-!"

 ***SMACK!** *

Ragna gripped the side of his face where Bullet had slapped him in pain. Bullet was giving him a steeled gaze of hatred. "YOU IDIOT! HOW DO YOU THINK THE REST OF US FEEL!? DO YOU THINK WE WANT TO SEE YOU DIE!?"

Ragna had seen Bullet lose it before, but this was an occasion that put the other ones to shame. Her eyes were on the verge of tears and she looked more hurt than she ever had before. Ragna shook his head, telling her what he was about to hurt him just as much. "I don't think anyone needs the Black Beast back."

Bullet narrowed her eyes at the person she once called her friend. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm the Black Beast, I always have been," he told her. "When I saved you from Azrael I felt myself getting overwhelmed by some sort of demonic power, and that's when I knew, I've been called the destroyer of the world for a reason. This is why."

Bullet didn't know what to think anymore. Her best friend had always been the Black Beast? That couldn't be, he was dark and violent sure, but he was her friend. She couldn't have been friends with the thing that nearly wiped out the world... could she?

"Bullet, even after the wars over and Terumi and the Imperator are lying dead, do you think Kokonoe, Kagura, and the rest of the world is going to let me live? No, I'm just a pawn that's going to be knocked off the chess board at any moment. I'm sorry Bullet, but I'm not getting you involved."

The Reaper turned his back on his friend and started walking away. He'd just thrown his best friend away, but he'd rather have done that than see her die because of him. This was his choice to make and-

Bullet grabbed Ragna's arm as he tried to leave. "Bullet? What the hell are you doing?"

"So that's it? You're just giving up?" she asked him, tears streaking down her face. "I'm not letting that happening to you! Even if the entire world's against you you're supposed to fight back! NOW ARE YOU THE MAN I FELL IN LOVE WITH OR AREN'T YOU!?"

"Bullet, I-!"

"I already had to suffer losing my family twice, don't make me lose you too!"

It was then that Bullet lost it and started crying. It was then that Ragna realized he'd screwed up. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around Bullet in an attempt to comfort her. "I'm sorry…" he said softly. Bullet kept crying into his chest, he thought he could hear her muttering 'jerk.' Luckily, he knew how to get her to stop. "So… love huh?"

It worked. Bullet immediately let go of Ragna and refused to look at him. "I didn't mean it like that! I was only trying to get you to open your eyes!"

"Huh, really? It didn't sound like that to me…" Ragna said teasingly. Bullet refused to face him. "But I'm kinda hoping you were serious about that."

"Stop teasing me!" Bullet demanded.

"Who's teasing? I was just hoping we were on the same page," Ragna said in earnest, giving a Bullet a small peck on the cheek. The mercenary was left speechless. "C'mon partner, I think we still have work to do."

Bullet was unsure at first, but then took Ragna's hand in her own. She'd always seen Ragna as her friend, but maybe now was the time to take things a step further. "Right with you."

 **Authors Note: I don't own BlazBlue.**

 **Seems I've made yet another relationship official. Ragna and Bullet have always gone well together, so let me know what you thought of this.**

 **As for Bullet, I'll be giving her a power up next chapter, but still feel free to submit your ideas for what her power up should be. I'll see you guys next chapter.**

 **Ciao.**


	10. Partners

_Chapter X: Partners_

"If you have something you want to say, say it," Relius Clover commanded over his shoulder as he analyzed the clipboard in his hand. The clipboard contained the most recent data that he'd obtained from his experimentation on Arakune. The data was becoming irrelevant to him quickly, but the mad scientist felt he'd at least continue his experiments until the abomination expired. He'd make that things life worth something to him, even in its death.

"What I'm trying to say," began one Captain Hazama, "Is that I don't understand why you aren't concerned with these annoying developments. Sure I didn't react when we lost Ben the Crimson earlier, but really he wasn't that much of a playing piece. But I'd think you'd be at least a little concerned when we found out that Raggy managed to take out Azrael."

"Why should I be? The Mad Dog was nothing more than his name implied, a berserker and nothing more, not even on our side. He may have been powerful, but do you honestly think he had any idea how to use his power?"

"Skilled or not, his power was supposed to be on par with Hakumen, shouldn't that cause at least a little concern? If ol' one arm can get a boost that significant, doesn't that mean that his little group of friends could as well? And now that we've lost the Izayoi we're already a piece down in this little Chess match, even if lieutenant garbage was only a pawn, if that."

"Then why don't you do something about it?" Relius advised putting his clipboard down. "Wouldn't it make more sense to do something about your little problem instead of complaining to me about it? And you say Ragna the Bloodedge never ceases talking."

"I would… except for that damn doll that's with them! To think Kokonoe would have the guts to make a damn Chronophantasma of a things! I can't get close to them with that stupid bitch there! And after all that shit she made me go through to kill her the first time!"

"You speak of the revived Celica A. Mercury," Relius noted. "I'll admit I was nearly caught off guard by that development, but of course this is Nine's daughter that we're dealing with. Underestimating the lengths she's willing to go to is particularly unwise."

"At the same time though," Hazama thought aloud. "It seems that we know the main key to her plan. She'll need both Celica A. Mercury and Kushinada's Lynchpin in order to pull off this little escapade. So that would mean if we destroy one of the two, everything falls apart. No more threats, just a bunch of flies to wipe off the wall."

"I suppose…" Relius said to the snake, his eyes narrow. _'What is he planning?'_

"Great! Since you agree with me, I think it only makes sense that you be the one to wipe that little twice-life off the face of the earth! I'll be sure to let Izanami know that you decided to head out! Toddles!" Hazama snickered to himself as he left Relius's office. The mad scientist groaned to himself.

"That damned snake… Perhaps I'll go after all, finding the proper way to replicate the Chronophantasma's powers should give me some leverage over Terumi. If nothing else, it should shut him up whenever I have to talk to him, more than worth the effort."

* * *

-Meanwhile: The Ikaruga NOL branch-

Noel walked down the hallway of the NOL branch early that morning. She'd woken up earlier that day and managed to get herself a cup of tea to ease into the morning routine. It was 9:15 in the morning so everyone had gotten up and was moving around… though she hadn't seen Bullet or Ragna around anywhere. She'd checked the cafeteria to see if they were having breakfast, outside to see if the two were training, and even with Kokonoe in the lab to see if the scientist had heard anything from the two.

 _'Maybe I'll check Bullet's room,'_ she thought to herself. _'This way I can ask her how last night went with Ragna. I'm sure Makoto would want to hear as well.'_ "Bullet, are you in?" she asked as she knocked on Bullets door. "Bullet?" The door was unlocked, so she slightly opened it. "Bull- OH-MY-GOSH-I'M-SO-SORRY-BYE!"

Slamming the door and running off from Bullet's room as fast as she could, Noel now had a crimson face and one thought repeating steadily in her mind. _'I didn't see that, I didn't see that, I DID NOT SEE THAT!'_

 _'What the heck was that?'_ Ragna thought groggily to himself as he awakened. _'Wait, was it Noel? This doesn't bode well…_ ' He adjusted his head slightly so he could see Bullet as she rested her head on the Reaper's bare chest, her lithe arms wrapped around his torso. The two had fallen asleep in the mercenary's room last night after they confessed their feelings for one another. "Hey Bullet," he said gently, trying to wake the mercenary. The mercenary groaned slightly as she awakened.

"Morning," she said drowsily, letting go of Ragna and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She blushed as she looked down and realized that they were both in their underwear. "Uh… Ragna, did we…?"

Ragna shook his head. "We just fell asleep in each other's arms," he assured her. "But I think we might have a bigger problem on our hands." Ragna got out of bed and put his regular clothing on. He'd stopped by his room last night to grab his clothing before kissing Bullet goodnight (a rather long and passionate kiss) and falling asleep beside her. "I think Noel might've… seen us."

"She saw us, just now?" Bullet questioned as she put her own clothing on. Ragna simply nodded, a little hesitant. "Do you think she'll keep quiet about it?"

"I doubt it. She's not exactly tight lipped and Makoto probably knows how to get answers out of her. Still, doesn't mean we should blame her for what happens."

"Alright, but the first comment I hear about this, I'm not responsible for what happens," Bullet threatened. Ragna then realized that he wasn't really the only unsure one in this new relationship, Bullet had her doubts with this as well.

"C'mon, it'll most likely only be light teasing from Celica and Makoto. It's not like anyone can use this to blackmail us, right?"

"So you want to go public with this?" Bullet asked.

"If you're comfortable with it I don't see why not. Plus, I'm pretty sure everyone'd figure it out sooner or later." Bullet nodded to the truth of that. "Anyways, we should probably check in with everyone."

"Fine," Bullet said as Ragna opened the door. Outside they found a few NOL guards who saw the two exit the room… but let's be honest, these people have worked under Kagura; they're used to this sort of thing after the things they've seen him do.

"So there you two are," Kokonoe said, as she regarded the two. "Bullet, I need you for a moment, I've got something I need you to test out."

"Fine," Bullet said as she followed the Professor. The two headed for the elevator in Kagura's office that would lead them to the Grimalkin's sub-lab. "I'll see you later Ragna."

"Later," Ragna said as he made his way to the kitchen to make himself something. Turns out, the cooks were back and were making meals for all of the soldiers. Ragna managed to get himself some fried eggs, hash browns, and tea before walking into the mess hall. Many of the soldiers there were quiet as soon as he entered. Ragna didn't pay them any mind as he sat himself at one of the tables furthest away from any groupings.

"Ragna," he heard Kagura greet. The Reaper looked up and indeed saw the Black Knight standing in front of him, an obvious smile on his face. "So I take it the date went well?"

"Better than what I was expecting," Ragna admitted. "The place was pretty nice and the food was pretty good too."

"Yeah, they do serve good food there," Kagura admitted. "But I try not to go there on dates. I head over there once with a girl and suddenly everyone I romance asks me to go there." He sighed to himself. "And usually I end up falling for it, being the sucker that I am."

"How the heck are you not bankrupt? I saw those prices!" Ragna exclaimed.

"I'm paid fairly well," Kagura assured him. "Not to mention as the son of the Duodecim I don't really have any financial worries."

"So in summary, you're the spoiled rich kid," Ragna told him sarcastically.

Kagura gave a laugh to the Reapers sentiment. "I suppose you could call me that, but I just saw Noel and she had a face that would put your coat to shame. Know anything about that?"

Kagura's grin could only be described by Ragna in one way: shit-eating. He obviously knew what was going on and was enjoying seeing Ragna squirm, but Ragna wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

"Hey Kagura, if I were you I'd keep my mouth shut. You know what Bullet does to guys like you?"

"Uh, no?"

"If she lets you die after the first two hours it's considered mercy," Ragna said ominously as he finished his eggs and went to put his tray in the dirty dishes tub. "Anything else?"

"Just wanted to let you know that we're just about done developing our plan and I'm almost done getting the support I need from the rest of the other leading families of the Duodecim. We should be able to put the next phase of our plan into action soon enough."

"Meaning we'll be getting the lynchpin?" Ragna questioned. Kagura nodded. "Good to hear, we've wasted enough time already."

"Even if you were able to find your soulmate in that 'wasted time'?" Kagura reminded him. Ragna nodded in acceptance. "I'm glad to hear it." It was then that Kagura noticed Hibiki running towards the two. "Hey Hibiki, what's the rush?"

"We have a situation, Ikaruga's under attack by an unknown force," Hibiki informed. While anyone would be worried in the situation, the young man did his part to stay calm under the duress. "They're wiping out our soldiers across the city and attacking civilians. We don't even have an approximation of their number though they seem to be most focused in the south part of the city."

(Cue Kagura's Theme _Black Aggression_ )

"Damn it! Hibiki, create small groups of soldiers and spread them through the North part of the city, then let our Special Forces head out to different parts of the south part of the city. Make sure everyone brings their comms!" Hibiki saluted and ran off. "Ragna, you're with me."

"What about everyone else?" Ragna questioned.

"They'll catch up, but we have to head to the resident districts now! Those people can't defend themselves."

* * *

*Time Skip- Residential District*

"So what do you make off this?" Kagura asked as he slashed down one of the attackers with his giant blade. There were hundreds of their attackers were dressed in blue trench coats and their heads were fully covered in pure white bandages. They were completely indistinguishable from each other aside from the weapons that they carried.

"These freaks look just like Ben the Crimson!" Ragna shouted as he blocked an attack from one of them with a barrier. "Hold a sec, **_Dead Spike!_** " Ragna sent out a massive wave of darkness and wiped out several enigmas. More of them rushed the Reaper for melee combat, but Ragna sent out a stream of fire at the aggressors. "Before Bullet eighty-sixed him, he told us about some NOL group experimenting in order to replicate Azrael's power." Ragna stopped taking as he block gunfire from a nearby sniper. "This could be them."

"So that's the angle!" Kagura shouted. " ** _Dragon Spirt!_** " he shouted sending a ball of darkness towards the opposing group, damaging them and sending them off guard before following with a massive slash cutting them in half. "They can't oppose me directly, so they send in these freaks to remain anonymous!" He slammed his sword to the ground with tremendous force sending several opponents flying before flipping over with it his sword and landing back to back with Ragna. "Don't you just hate politics?" he asked with a grin.

"Amen!" Ragna shouted in agreement before the two rush at their opponents. Kagura slid to avoid enemy attacks before he was in the center of the group where he performed a devastating spin attack wiping out a large group of enemies. Ragna meanwhile poured fire magic into his BlazBlue, turning it into a giant flaming claw.

" ** _Ifrit's…_** ' Ragna started as he brought the flaming claw back. " ** _CLAW!_** " he shouted as he performed a massive swipe and destroyed a large group of enemies and caused those just outside the vicinity to catch on fire.

"Since when could you do that!?" Kagura questioned as he gathered black flames on his sword. He then unleashed an increased slash on the group destroying them.

"Came up with it about two seconds ago!" Ragna informed him as he finished off the last bandaged freak by impaling it on Blood-Scythe. "That looks like all of them, but something's wrong about this attack. Why are they wasting time attacking the city? Why not just go for the base?"

"Unless," Kagura thought before his eyes went wide in realization. "They were waiting until we left the base. But wait, Kokonoe put several barriers in place, they shouldn't be able to get in."

Ragna then realized a flaw himself. "But if they send someone like Terumi, he might be able to break through. Shit!" Ragna ran off after that last thought sprinting in order to reach the branch.

"Ragna wait!" Kagura was about to follow the Reaper before more bandaged creeps got in his way. "Oh all of you can just GO TO HELL!" he shouted as he swung his blade and decapitated two of them at once. More of them showed up and started surrounding the Black Knight. "Damn it Ragna, just had to leave me with the boring job."

(End theme)

* * *

-Meanwhile: The NOL Branch-

When Ragna returned to the base he could see that his prediction was true. Kagura's men laid strewn across the entrance, some of them unconscious, others were dead. The doors laid broken and ajar and there were sounds of fighting coming from inside.

Ragna shoved the door open where he saw Tager getting slashed across the chest by a giant metal claw belonging to a purple animatronic. The cyborg grunted in pain before he was blast back by an unseen force slamming into the wall near a group of downed soldiers. He let out another pain filled grunt as he lost consciousness.

(Cue Relius Clover's Theme _Plastic Night_ (one or two, your call))

"Was this really the best line of defense you were capable of Kokonoe? You're almost making this too easy for me." Relius Clover sighed to himself, while partaking in this little attack he'd hoped for some form of a challenge or at least a new form of data to pursue, as if right now he'd found nothing. "Hopefully Kokonoe while provide me with better entertainment. Although…" He turned to face the Reaper.

"Relius Clover… You were with Terumi in Kagutsuchi weren't you? So…" Ragna grabbed out his sword Blood-Scythe. "Where the hell is he?"

"I'm curious why you think I should tell you anything, Reaper. The only reason I've tolerated your existence this long is because I might have use for you some time in the near future, but beyond that you are merely a thorn in my side. And it's high time I've plucked you. Ignis!"

The marionette got into a ready position beside Relius, the mad puppeteer looked at Ragna condescendingly, expecting to finish this quickly. He thrust his arm and Ignis lunged at Ragna with metal claws extended. Ragna sent out a blast of lightning at the marionette to keep it occupied, but the creation took the magic full force and didn't even pause. _'Damn it!'_ Ragna thought as blocked against the attack with his sword. Ignis wasn't a pushover and started to force the Reaper back. "Get off, damn it!" Ragna shouted as he pushed Ignis back. The moment he did that however Relius took advantage of Ragna's distracted state. Mechanical toy arms emerged from his cloak and stuck Ragna with enough force in the chest to drive him back. "Gah!"

"Ignis! Again!" Relius commanded. The marionette threw a strange circular object which raced on the ground towards Ragna. The Reaper dodged the attack before swatting it towards Relius who was racing towards him. Relius stayed in place as the projectile was deflected off of his own barrier while Ignis raced towards Ragna who dodged the slash at his legs by jumped and slashing Ignis in the upper body with his own attack before landing behind the doll and sending her flying with a lightning amplified kick. Ignis was about to go flying into Relius, but the mad scientist merely dodged to the side with a cocky grin on his face.

 _'I can't let them flank me,'_ Ragna thought to himself as he tried to analyze the two and see where they'd attack from next. _'The only thing that sent Ignis flying was my kick not that magic, so my lightning magic is powerless against her somehow. I could try fire, but would that really do anything?'_

"Would you look at this Ignis," Relius said to his robotic wife. "It appears that this ape is actual trying to give some thought to his predicament. I know the saying is 'better late than never', but if you'd gave it even the tiniest amount of thought you'd realize that you stand no chance against me…"

"SHUT UP!" Ragna yelled as he ran towards Relius, giving out a tremendous battle cry.

"You also might've realized I was only coaxing you," Relius said with that shit-eating grin. Ignis disappeared from beside him.

 _'She's gone! Where is she!? To the side? From behind? No, above!'_ Ignis's feet had transformed into a drill and she was quickly descending to impale the Reaper. Relius was also moving to attack the Reaper at the same time. "Nice try!" Ragna shouted as he shot Ignis was a column of Azure fire. Unlike the lightning, this did effect the marionette as it blasted her back.

"Fire Magic!?" Relius exclaimed in surprise, his cocky grin now gone. Ragna then took advantage of the opportunity to rush forward toward the scientist.

" ** _CARNAGE SCISSORS_** **!** " he shouted as he brought the blade down upon Relius. Four mechanical arms came from the mad scientist cloak and attempted to catch the blade. The Reaper's strength was overwhelming as it nearly force him to kneel. "HAVE SOME OF THIS!" Ragna shouted as he unexpectedly brought the blade back causing Relius to go off balance before hitting him in the jaw with an electrified uppercut that caused the building to rumble. Relius went flying back and barely managed to land on his feet in front of the door to Kagura's office.

"You're better than I expected," Relius admitted as he grabbed his sore chin. "Perhaps there's more to you than it seems Reaper." Ragna said nothing and silently observed Relius, trying to figure out what he was up to. "Of course, you're still far too gullible! Ignis!" Ignis once again appeared from the shadows, this time turning into a wheel in order to attack, but this time she wasn't going for the Reaper, she was going for the already down NOL members and Tager.

"NO! Your fight's with me, not them!" Ragna shouted at the insane scientist.

Relius gave a dark and sadistic smile. "How pathetic. These are yet more lives you couldn't save."

It was then that oak door behind Relius was blasted off its hinges as something too fast for the eye to follow sped past him straight towards Ignis. With a solid punch and an explosion of fire the marionette was sent flying and was embedded in the wall.

(Switch theme's to _Under Heaven Destruction II_ )

"That's why he has me," Bullet said to Relius, the bloodlust and rage apparent in her tone. On her lower legs she had armor similar to her gauntlets, except that these were silver. They had red hot flames shooting out from behind them and in order to propel her forward. "You ready to finish this?" she asked Ragna in a serious tone.

"Yeah, thanks for that save. Let's waste him!" he shouted as the two rushed towards Relius. The madman snapped his fingers calling Ignis to his side before leaping at Ragna and Bullet. His target was the Reaper and he summoned a mechanical device in front of him to send Ragna flying into the air.

" ** _Gauntlet Hades_**!" Ragna shouted as he flipped over the attack and struck Relius in the face with a kick. Relius staggered back before once again bringing two swords out to crush the Reaper. Ragna caught the attack in his hands while kicking Relius back, destroying his armaments completely. " ** _Hell's_** …" Ragna shouted as he lunged forward and struck Relius in the face. " ** _FANG!_** " A wave of darkness proceeded to smashing into Relius sending him further back.

Meanwhile Bullet dodged Ignis's claw attack before reposting with a roundhouse kick, sending the doll flying. Ignis sent out an orb of electricity, but Bullet smacked the attack aside with her fist before smacking the machine twice in the face before kicking her off to the side. Ignis turned herself into a bladed top before spinning madly at Bullet to attempt to slice her.

"NOT WORKING!" Bullet shouted as she leapt into the air and brought her fists down upon the marionette's head. Ignis literally bounced off of the ground before Bullet grabbed her and slammed her into the wall. " **BURN**!" she shouted as her gauntlets let out their fiery payloads and caused Ignis to fall apart instantly.

On Ragna's side Relius was quickly going on the defensive, being pushed to limits he hadn't thought possible by the Reaper. Ragna swung his sword at the professor again, causing Relius to guard with yet another mechanical arm which shattered upon impact. _'It seems like my options are limited,'_ he thought to himself before he noticed that the bodies of the downed NOL guards and Tager were closer to him than his aggressor. _'That should suffice for a distraction.'_ He fled from Ragna one of his damaged arms emerging from his cloak. It was more dangerous now that the end was sharpened to a point.

Relius noticed the apparent heat at just the right second to dodge to the side as a column of blue flames from Ragna shot past him. "You missed," he heckled turning for a split second to face the Reaper.

It was then that Relius saw Ragna giving him a smirk of his own. Just as dark and cocky as the one the scientist was used to giving. "Maybe, but she won't."

Realization dawned on Relius as he turned to see Bullet, reeling her fist back to strike him, absorbing all of the Azure flames that Ragna had just fired to empower the attack. With a devastating war cry Bullet hit the man who had ruined so many lives with his experiments in a combination of a physical smash and a massive explosion of fire that caused the very windows of the building to shatter. Relius was blasted into the floor creating a massive crater. After the ringing from the explosion was gone, all the two could hear was Clover's pathetic, defeated groan.

(End theme)

Ragna let out a breath of relief, he hadn't been pushed this hard since Azrael. He looked at Bullet who was glaring down at the mad scientist, debating whether or not to kill him here and now.

"Is it over?" Ragna heard a voice question. He turned and saw Kokonoe walking out of Kagura's office. "I just finished updating my barrier. Phantom isn't going to get through this one." She walked over to the Red Devil. "Looks like I'll have to do a few repairs on Tager after what he's been through." She then walked over to Relius and looked down upon him before applying a bind array. "Let's get this son of a bitch down to the sub-level cells, he has a lot to answer for."

"We're not just going to kill him?" Bullet demanded. "Isn't that risky?"

"It is," Kokonoe admitted. "But this is a gamble we need to make; Relius could give us secrets to the NOL that we desperately need. Including who's behind the creation of these things. I'll start interrogating him as soon as he regains consciousness. By the way Bullet, how's the new equipment working out for you?"

"It's a little uneasy, but I'll get used to it with some practice," Bullet gave Ragna a look. "You'll help me out with this right?"

"Yeah sure," Ragna sighed, knowing he had little choice. "But I've got to get going, there's probably more of those bandaged freaks in the city."

"All right," Kokonoe said as she proceeded to drag Relius off. "Bullet, I need you to stick around for now, as of right now you're the last line of defense here."

"Fine," Bullet agreed as Kokonoe managed to get Relius into the elevator. Ragna was about to turn to leave before Bullet stopped him and gave him a small kiss on the lips. The two stayed there for a moment. "That's to make sure you come back. Now get going… Reaper."

Ragna gave her a smile as he proceeded to run off. "See you later… Buttfloss."

" _ **WHAT WAS THAT!?**_ " Bullet demanded.

"I mean Bullet, Bullet's what I meant," Ragna said nervously as he proceeded to rush out of the branch much faster now. _'She still can't take a joke… I guess that's just part of her charm…'_

"That man…" Bullet sighed exasperatedly, but she was betraying herself, with a small, caring smile.

 **Author's Note: Don't own BlazBlue, don't own selected music.**

 **Review Responses**

 **IdeaPerson1097: I used parts of your idea for Bullet's new upgrade. Thanks for the help and the reviews.**

 **Guest: Buttfloss is now mentioned at the end of this chapter. I might try to find some way to sneak it in every few chapters.**

 **There was a lot of combat happening this chapter, but I hope you enjoyed. Next chapter won't have much action, but it'll be important from a story perspective. Follow, Favorite, and Review.**

 **Ciao!**


	11. Three

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing._**

 _Three_

"You sure you'd prefer this to the ' _White Drake?'_ This seems like more of one of your everyday restaurants."

Ragna and Bullet inside a restaurant going by the name of ' _Hero's Retreat.'_ It was a decent non-formal restaurant with fair prices. The décor was casual, but the service and food had been given above average views.

"I feel that this is more our scene," Bullet said, referring to Ragna's earlier question. "Dining at the ' _White Drake_ ' was nice, but I think that we're more meant for casual restaurant where we don't have to act like everyone going to judge us."

The two were going to this restaurant for Ragna's 'double or nothing' part of the bet with Kokonoe. The scientist had been a woman of her word and was willing to pay for another diner for the two at the posh restaurant that they'd gone to before, but the two had other plans. As they walked inside Ragna got odd looks from several of the restaurant patrons due to his change in reputation, but he just did his usual response: ignore it.

"I know you just wanted to go here because you didn't want to have Makoto and the others force you to a beauty salon," Ragna guessed. To his (totally not) shock, Bullet wasn't denying it. "Well whatever, I don't mind. Isn't this also where you and I reunited?"

"And where you completely forgot who I was and insulted me," Bullet reminded.

"Okay, so the 'not remembering you' part was totally my bad," Ragna admitted as the two sat down at an open table. "But the insulting you part was Tao's fault! I didn't say the things that she did! If it hadn't been for her we wouldn't have caused a scene."

"You still called me 'butt-floss.' Don't forget that, Bullet attested.

"Great, what's it going to take to get you to let that drop?" Ragna asked, his eyes half-closed in annoyance.

"Simple," Bullet said with smirk, a diabolical plot forming in her mind. "We just need to find you a name that's just as embarrassing as the one you gave me."

"Yeah, not happening," the Reaper refused. "Go back to holding a grudge for all I care. I'm not getting a nickname."

"Not listening to a ladies request are we Ragna. It seems that in the time a can finally keep to myself and leave you out of my errands you always manage to find new lows to disappoint me." Ten guesses who said that.

"Rabbit, why the hell are you here?" Ragna groaned. "I'm out to dinner now, can I PLEASE have ten minutes without you butting in to something?"

"Butting in you say?" Rachel asked with a condescending grin. "Is this the thanks that I get for making sure you are still breathing, for making sure you haven't been led astray? Oh, how cruel!"

"I'm going to agree with Ragna on this one," Bullet told the vampire. "You always seem to show up and cause havoc for him."

"See! She's taking my side," Ragna argued. "Thanks, Bullet."

"Really Ragna?" Rachel asked, the smile never leaving her face. "Is that how you offer thanks to a lady? You have more social insensitivity than I thought. It's no wonder that Bullet was the one to fall for you, seeing as she lacks that quality almost as much as you do."

"Hey, I'm sociable!" Ragna exclaimed.

"Your quick retort would indicate otherwise, but if you really are as you say why don't you prove it?"

"Prove it? You mean like a test? Can't that wait, I'm having dinner with Bullet."

"I say go for it Ragna," Bullet suggested. Noticing the odd look Ragna was giving her, the mercenary decided to explain. "The sooner you get this little test done, the sooner she leaves and we can go back to eating."

"Fair point," Ragna agreed. "All right Rabbit, what's the contest? Get through the date without swearing?"

"As much as I'd like to, I actually have something different in mind," Rachel said with an unsettling gleam in her eyes. "The contest being this!" With amazing speed and grace, she took a small object out of her dress and put it on the Reapers face.

"What the!? Glasses!" Ragna said in surprise. "Very funny Rachel, but if you think I'm wearing these you've got another-!" Ragna tried to pull the glasses off, but to no avail. "What the hell! These thing won't come off!"

"That's… unsettling," Bullet decided. "And why are the lenses shaped like pink hearts?"

"Let me introduce you to my newest creation," Rachel said with an even bigger smile. "These are the ' _Spectacles of Eros Mark III.'_ A model that doesn't require puncturing, but cannot be removed until the conditions are met. _'_

"Mark three?" Ragna asked, still trying to pull the glasses of and even using dispelling Ars. "What the hell happened to Marks one and two?"

"I'm afraid you wouldn't remember that event," Rachel said. "But I think the true effect of these glasses should be apparent very soon." With that the vampire vanished.

The two sat there in silence for a moment. "So…" Ragna started somewhat unsurely. "Notice anything I don't know, different about me?"

"Only that you're now wearing the gaudiest looking glasses I've ever laid my eyes on," Bullet told him. "Have you tried breaking them?"

"Didn't work, they're a stubborn pair of specs," Ragna said with a sigh. "Knowing the rabbit, all I need to do is make it through the date without taking offense to everyone staring at me because of the glasses. Jokes on her though, everyone was already staring at me."

"That's one way of looking at it," Bullet smirked. "And maybe-"

That was when the doors were blasted open as a certain blonde rushed inside. Noel looked around in worry before finding Ragna. "Ragna!" she shouted as she rushed towards him.

"Whoa! Whoa! Where's the fire Noel?" he shouted raising his hands in defense.

"I need to let you know something really important! You can't date Bullet!" Noel shouted, getting attention from everyone in the restaurant. It must be theme for the two, whenever they go to the place they're the center of attention.

"What? Why the hell not?" Ragna questioned, his eyes narrow.

"B-Because…" Noel took a deep breath. "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU RAGNA!"

"….What?" Ragna asked as the message registered. "WHAAAAAAAAAAT!?"

"You… love him?" Bullet asked with wide eyes.

"I've loved you ever since you first called me idiot!" Noel yelled her face crimson. "You've been just like my big brother! Love me NII-SAN!"

Ragna let out a groan. "Seriously… we already go through this joke enough times with Jin, I don't need you doing it too Noel."

"It's not a joke!" Noel said as she lunged forward in an attempt to steal a few blissful seconds to enjoy contact with Ragna's lips. The Reaper leaned back as far as he could in order to avoid the attack, but he ended up falling backwards and taking Noel with him. A concerned Bullet stood from her chair to see them on the ground, not kissing, but very dazed.

"Well this date's just going FANTASTICALLY," Bullet said, her tone think with sarcasm. That was before two familiar Beastkin ran through the door.

"Ragna!" Makoto yelled as she frantically looked around for him.

"There he is," Kokonoe grumbled. "But it looks like the little blond brat got to him before us!"

"My head…" Ragna groaned as he made his way up and regarded the two new comers. "What are you two doing here?"

"I WAS hoping to find you so we could the evening stared," Makoto said with a sly grin on her face. "Come on, I already got us reservations at the _A la Love_ restaurant!"

"The A… A…" Bullet could barely stutter with wide eyes.

"You know about that restaurant Bullet?" Ragna asked.

"I… read about it in the _Ikaruga Walker_ ," Bullet said, not facing him with her crimson cheeks. "It's a restaurant that's purpose is to have you make-out excessively, get drunk, and send you home to… do it."

"Wait, WHAT!?" Ragna demanded. "Who the hell thought up that kind of a place!?"

"Kagura did, which was how he managed to get the two of us such a good deal!" Makoto said with a victory smile. "The rest of you don't stand a chance, everyone knows how much Ragna is going to love my fluffy squirrel tail!"

"That's what you think!" Kokonoe said with her own victorious sneer. "If Ragna loves Beastkin anatomy he's going to love my double tails!" She then approached Ragna as the two appendages proceeded to scurry over Ragna's being.

"S-Stop it! That tickles!" Ragna demanded trying to keep the fuzzy lengths of death away from him.

"Oh, if you enjoy that you're going to LOVE the sub-basement which I just installed. It's got equipment for all sort of weird crap that people enjoy! …Though I did promise Tager a memory wipe when he was done installing it."

"NOT INTERESTED!" Ragna shouted.

"Excuse me, Ragna?" a spikey blonde haired man in another booth with a giant sword commented. "I believe that's my thing."

"Well I'm borrowing it Cloud!" Ragna shouted. "Go back to getting ready for your remake!"

"And my Smash DLC, don't forget about that. Maybe they'll make a hacked skin of you or something."

"Let's hope. God knows I could kick so much ass in Smash," Ragna said with a grin before he noticed two tiny arms wrapped around his torso. "Noel get off of me."

"It's not her you jackass," came a rather young voice.

"Oh god no," Ragna could barely say in his fear. "It's the SHE-DEMON!"

"Don't call me that you perv!" Luna shouted. "And here I was about to say that I-I… I LO-!"

"Good guy!"

"Hey Ragna!"

"Ragna the Bloodedge!"

"Great…" Bullet groaned. "And now we have the two scatterbrains and the busty doctor here. What's this coming to?"

"Good guy! Tao wants to make kitt-!" Tao started.

"No," Litchi said with a sultry smile. "I think he needs a physical. Lord know he could use a woman's-"

"Ragna why don't you forget about these girls and come with me!?" Celica suggested. "After all, the two of us are canon!"

"Screw the canon!" Ragna shouted, pleasing several fanfiction readers at once (don't deny it, I'm looking at you). "What else are we missing?"

"Well, if you think this is a good idea…" Amane started.

"No! NO! NOT EVEN IN A FANFICTION GAG REEL!" Ragna shouted. "GET HIM OUT OF HERE! KILL HIM WITH FIRE! DO IT BEFORE THE CRAZY SHIPPERS NOTICE!"

Jeeze fine. Amane disappeared, or maybe he was never there…

"Well that's one crisis averted," Ragna sighed. Then he noticed that every girl that had arrived was hugging him. "Get off me!" he shouted as he struggled to shove off all them off. They didn't budge. To make matters worse he was then piled under five of the other restaurant patrons. "Oh for the loathing of Izanami! RACHEL!"

The young vampire appeared on the table. "Honestly Ragna, to what do you find the need to yell like such a brute?"

"You got me into this mess!" Ragna shouted. "How do I get out of this?!"

"Well you have to make everyone here angry…" Rachel said tapping her chin.

"So he just has to insult them…" Bullet noted. "By the way, why am I not effected by the glasses?"

"I'd suspect it's because your feelings for each other are strong and real…" Rachel thought to herself. "And rather than insulting them, why not try telling them all what you love about Bullet? If they know that the man they love is hopelessly infatuated with another surely the spell will be broken in their anger."

"I'm supposed to do what exactly!?" Ragna demanded.

"I don't think it's right to force Ragna to-!" Bullet began.

"You got a better idea?" Ragna demanded from where the swarm of girls were beginning to cuddle him. "Fine, Bullet I love the fact that we get along so well!" No reaction. "Oh come on!"

"You'll have to do much better than that," Rachel told him. "That was barely a compliment."

"Fine! Bullet, you're hot and sexy and the greatest person I know!" Ragna shouted, though his faced was tinged with crimson. Bullet by this point was also blushing like mad, but the glasses stayed on Ragna's face.

"Closer, but you'd have to reach deep inside you…" Rachel suggested.

"But that's all I can say!" Ragna shouted as the girls were trying to pull his coat off giggling like idiots. He struggled to keep his favorite clothing item on for fear of what would happen next.

"And that would make any girl jealous," Bullet admitted.

"But not jealous enough it seems," Rachel told them. "In that case I hope you enjoy your current-"

"BULLET I LOVE YOU! WHEN WE FIRST MET EACH OTHER YOU BECAME MY FIRST AND MOST CHERISHED FRIEND, BUT THEN WE STARTED GETTING CLOSER AS I GOT TO KNOW WHAT AN AMAZING PERSON YOU WERE! WHEN I HAD TO LEAVE WITH JUBEI I ACTUALLY CRIED AFTER WE LEFT BECAUSE I WAS SAD TO SEE YOU GO! WHEN I FINISHED REMEMBERING YOU AFTER WE MADE THAT STEW IT FELT LIKE I WAS GETTING BACK A PIECE OF ME I'D BEEN MISSING FOR YEARS! WHEN YOU NEARLY DIED TO AZRAEL I'D WISHED I'D BEEN THE ONE WHO'D ALMOST DIED BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH IT HURT ME TO SEE YOU LIKE THAT! YOU'RE MY REASON FOR FIGHTING AND LIVING! YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT I'VE EVER LOVED!"

 _Silence._

…And the glasses stayed.

"DAMN IT! WHY!?" Ragna shouted.

"Give it a minute," Rachel said before the glasses fell of Ragna's face. All of his crazy fangirls started backing away from him.

"Demonic piece of shit!" Ragna yelled as he grabbed the glasses and chucked it out the door as hard as he could, hearing a small yelp of pain as they hit someone. He then looked and noticed Bullet looking at her with more crimson on her face than he had on his coat. "By the way, I meant everything I said."

"What just happened?" Noel asked while looking around.

"Did we… do anything?" Makoto asked a little unnerved.

"You're so better off not knowing," Ragna told her. "At least that's the end of that."

"HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LADIES!" Kagura shouted as he ran into the building, wearing the glasses Ragna had just been wearing.

"NO!" Ragna shouted. "SOMEONE STOP HIM BEFORE THE GIRLS START…" he noticed none of them were crowding the Black Knight. "You aren't doing anything… Wait a minute…"

"Looks like the cat's out of the bag," Makoto admitted. "This was actually a ploy we came up with for you to confess your feelings to Bullet."

"So then those glasses didn't make you crazy for Ragna? They only glued themselves to him?" Bullet asked. A few of the girls nodded. "What about them?" she referred to the regular patrons who had tried to get a piece of the Reaper.

"They just boarded the hype train," Kokonoe told them. "This is why I hate NPC's." The mad scientist let out a smile. "Did you manage to record everything Rachel?"

"Right here Kokonoe," Rachel said as she brought out a video recorder from a hidden location. "Every last second of Ragna's awkward situation and his confession is on this recording device."

"Yeah, and the perv was falling for everything!" Luna yelled as she rolled on the ground in uncontrolled laughter. "Luna can't wait to watch the recording!"

Rachel's camera then gave a large spark of electricity as it burst into pieces. Ragna's eyes were covered in the dark shadows of his hair, which would be menacing enough, if he wasn't also covered in his azure lightning form he'd used when he faced Azrael.

"… I shall leave you all here," Rachel said before vanishing.

"YOU LITTLE!" Ragna shouted as he grabbed his sword out and proceeded to chase the girls out of the restaurant in a vengeance driven rage. The girls continued screaming as Ragna charged up his attack.

" ** _REVENGE STORM_ _!_** " he shouted as he executed his newest attack.

Bullet cringed slightly as he heard the girls scream and the explosion of electricity. It did not sound pleasant.

"And on that note, I'm getting out of here…" Kagura said as he walked out of the restaurant. "DAMN IT! HOW DO YOU GET THESE THINGS OFF!?"

Ragna walked back inside with a grim look on his face. Bullet just walked up to her boyfriend and smirked. "Hey Ragna, I think I just managed to find your nickname."

"Bullet, now's not a good time," Ragna sighed. "But fine, what's one more insult today?

"I think I'll call you Specs," Bullet said now turning the smirk into a large grin.

"…Damn it," Ragna sighed.


End file.
